


An Unexpected Warrior

by snowy_magpies



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst, Between Episodes, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fluff, Post-Canon, Slow Build, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-17
Updated: 2019-06-27
Packaged: 2019-08-25 01:15:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 18
Words: 47,180
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16651489
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snowy_magpies/pseuds/snowy_magpies
Summary: Rin continues to follow Lord Sesshomaru and Jaken after Naraku's defeat. While building Sesshomaru's new empire, they encounter demons, ghosts, and samurai. However, physical enemies aren't the only things troubling Rin. Sickness, growing up, and developing feelings for her lord are issues that Rin must face while on her journey. When she's forced to become a warrior by someone she once trusted, she'll have to find a balance between kindness and slaughter to survive. Her greatest challenge, however, awaits her in Lord Sesshomaru's castle.





	1. Grief and Discouragement

**Author's Note:**

> This is one of the first fanfictions I've ever written, so I'd appreciate any constructive criticism. The majority of this fanfiction will be post-canon, but the first two chapters occur in between episodes. This chapter is meant to take place after Inuyasha-The Final Act 9: Sesshomaru in the Underworld, but before Inuyasha-The Final Act 13: A Complete Meido.

            It had been almost a week since the party of five had visited Lord Sesshōmaru’s mother, Lady Inukimi, in her castle among the clouds. However, Rin’s memory was so faded and fragmented that it felt like it had been eons instead of only a few days. It was as if there was a gap in her memory; why couldn’t she remember what happened after the hellhound grabbed her and Kohaku?

            A wave of pain crashed over her just like every other time she attempted to remember what happened. She gritted her teeth as the intense headache consumed her. She grasped Ah-Un’s silky mane as a single tear of pain cascaded down her soft cheek. Ah glanced at his young rider, concern in his eyes as he saw Rin’s body tremble while she laid on his back. Un gave a high-pitched grunt and tried to alert his master that something was wrong with their travelling companion.  

            Lord Sesshōmaru, however, didn’t need to be reminded that Rin was still suffering the effects of dying while in the Underworld. The salty scent of Rin’s tears had already been detected by the daiyōkai’s sensitive nose. While his outward demeanor was calm and cold, inside he was still reliving the moment he believed Rin was gone forever. Grief and pain still grasped his heart, but shame was the mightiest of all the emotions that had arisen recently. He hadn’t been able to revive her, he hadn’t been strong enough to protect her. He, the great Lord Sesshōmaru, had almost lost Rin forever in exchange for more power. The mere thought of his own weakness and greed caused him to tightly clench his pale fist, the only physical indication of the battles being waged in his mind.

            Jaken and Kohaku were both silent spectators. This was not the first time they had seen Rin in pain or Lord Sesshōmaru clench his fist, and it may not be their last either. But Lord Sesshōmaru had made them swear to not speak about what happened in the Underworld with Rin. “I’ll be the one to tell her when the time is right,” he had said to them five sunrises ago. Jaken gave a heavy sigh, it pained him to see his master struggling with his emotions. Lord Sesshōmaru had been harsher and more on edge since they’d left Lady Inukimi’s castle. As much as he wanted to offer advice to the yōkai, he didn’t want to be at the end of Lord Sesshōmaru’s poisonous claws.

            Kohaku walked alongside Ah-Un and Rin, watching his friend writhe in agony. He hated being so useless to ease her suffering, why hadn’t Lord Sesshōmaru already told her what happened? A furious fire grew in his brown eyes, but he knew better than to question the ways of the daiyōkai. A frustrated huff escaped him, and he decided to observe the countryside to take his mind off of their current predicament.

            It was truly a beautiful day, and the sun was partially hidden by thick, fluffy clouds. The long shadows over the rolling landscape hinted at the darkness they’d experience when winter arrived. “No, we’ve still got several moons till winter,” Kohaku murmured to himself. The meadow of wildflowers to his left proved that he was right, nature was still alive and active. In fact, if Kohaku listened closely, he could hear the croaking mating call of egrets as they flew overhead. Only when winter had snatched the warmth and greenery away would the birds migrate. Kohaku shifted his gaze from the flying white creatures to look out over the sloping meadow again. Several yards off was a gentle river that had been snaking through the landscape for many miles. At first, Kohaku paid little attention to the river, but it seemed to glisten and whisper to him that there was an important treasure by the river. Kohaku knew it was foolish to think a river could tell him anything, but his gut told him that there was something he needed to find by the river.

            “I’ll be right back!” he called out as he dashed through the yellow flowers.

            “Wait! Just where do you think you’re going?” Jaken yelled as he waved the Staff of Two Heads. “How dare you leave without the permission of the powerful Lord—”

            “Let him be.” The icy words paralyzed Jaken. Lord Sesshōmaru threw a threatening glance in Jaken’s direction for good measure.

            The imp cleared his throat and lowered his eyes as a sign of his submission to his master’s command. “Yes, milord.” Jaken and Lord Sesshōmaru simultaneously turned their heads and followed Kohaku with their eyes as he made his descent down the hill. 

            The demonslayer ran as fast as he could, he knew Lord Sesshōmaru would leave without him if he didn’t hurry. He relished in the feeling of his legs flying beneath him and the breeze blowing in his face. Kohaku wondered to himself if this is what Kagura had been searching for all her life. Pure freedom and the sensation of running with the wind. Of course, Kohaku wasn’t completely free, he would never know true freedom so long as his life was ruled by the Shikon shard in his back. Regardless, he didn’t let that imped on this brief moment of happiness.

            As he gracefully skidded to the bottom of the slope, he quickly looked around to find his prize. Though he frantically scanned the area, he couldn’t see anything worth his trip down here. Only tall grass and weeds seemed to populate the riverbank. His dark eyebrows crinkled, he wasn’t about to give up. The closer he got to the river, the muddier the soil became and he almost slipped several times. Kohaku placed his hand on a willow branch to steady himself, and he realized that his prize was right in front of him. There, nestled near some reeds, was the butterbur plant. A faint smile danced across his lips as he tore off a large, broad leaf and hurried up the hill once more.

            "Rin,” Kohaku gently shook the girl while trying to catch his breath. She slowly opened her eyes, discouragement and pain written all over her face. Kohaku helped her into a sitting position and offered her the dark green leaf. “Please eat this, Sango used to make me eat them when I hit my head during training. It’ll help with your headache.” Rin remained silent and at first Kohaku was terrified that she had become unaware of her surroundings. However, she eventually reached out for the herb and began to nibble on the tough fibers. After several bites, a fragment of light returned to her brown eyes.

            “Thank you,” Rin said softly, “I feel a bit better now already.” For the first time since leaving Lady Inukimi’s castle, she gave a big, toothy grin. The large storm cloud that had been weighing down the group was suddenly lifted. A cool breeze swept away the past and allowed everyone to breathe a sigh of relief.

***

            Kohaku had been dutifully collecting leaves from the butterbur plant every time it came into their general vicinity for the past two sunrises. While Rin still had a gap in her memory that plagued her, she had begun to feel well enough to run and play with Kohaku and Master Jaken once more. She always thanked Kohaku when he would offer her the herb and she would munch on it to keep the pain at bay. Even though she never refused to eat the plant, she could feel Lord Sesshōmaru’s watchful gaze on her every time she ate it. He’d been unusually solemn for many sunrises now, and Rin started to wonder if maybe he’d experienced a gap in his memory too. Perhaps she should ask him about it when she wasn’t too busy racing with Master Jaken.

            “You can’t catch me!” She gleefully squealed. Jaken was still several yards behind her and panting heavily, but he showed no signs of giving up. It was a race for the ages, short legs versus tiny legs. The pair dashed on ahead of Lord Sesshōmaru and Kohaku and left a cloud of dust in their wake. Their finish line was a cherry tree almost fifty yards ahead of Rin.

            “Why you--! Get back here right now!” cried Jaken as he began to slowly gain on the child. While she was definitely a swift runner, her stamina was a bit lacking. Rin looked over her shoulder at the furious Master Jaken chasing her and she couldn’t help but smile. It had seemed like forever since the group had a brief moment of peace in which Rin could run and play to her heart’s content.

            But that didn’t matter right now. Right now, Rin was focused on the soft grass beneath her feet, her kosode flowing as she ran, and how close she was to reaching her goal. Thirty yards…twenty yards…ten yards, she was almost there! She had originally been running with her arms outstretched like a bird, but she now they were in front of her to grasp her goal. The child gave a joyful squeal as she felt the bark of the tree in her small hands.

            “I won!” Rin triumphantly jumped in the air. The short legs had won against the tiny legs. Jaken had slowed down to a walk twenty yards back and was still gasping for air and leaning on the Staff of Two Heads. “Oh, Lord Sesshōmaru,” Rin, who seemed to be an inexhaustible ball of energy, ran to greet the approaching daiyōkai. “I won, milord!” Golden eyes met brown ones as Rin stared expectantly up at her lord.

            Though she was still far too young to fully understand physical beauty, she couldn’t help but admire the face of the creature she regarded as her protector. She’d always found his markings to be fascinating and beautiful. While Lord Sesshōmaru rarely openly expressed his emotions, Rin had learned some of the subtle signs that betrayed what he was thinking. Right now, there was a faint sparkle in his golden eyes, a sign that he was amused. But there was something else too, the small frown meant that something was on his mind.

            Before she could inquire what was wrong, she noticed how dry her throat was from her race against Master Jaken. She could hear the sound of a small, nearby waterfall and it was music to her ears. “May I go get a drink of water?” Rin questioned as she clasped her hands in front of her. The slight nod of the tall yōkai was all the motivation she needed to go skipping merrily to the waterfall.  

            As Rin distanced herself from the group, Lord Sesshōmaru turned to his loyal imp and said dryly, “Wait with Kohaku and Ah-Un.”

            Jaken was taken aback and began spluttering, “B-but why? Do you really think Rin is in danger?” However, Lord Sesshōmaru had already begun following the human into the forest. “I always get stuck babysitting…” Jaken grumbled.

           Meanwhile, Rin had successfully navigated herself through the small forest and found the stream that cascaded downwards into a waterfall. She knelt before the crystal-clear waters and took a second to stare at her reflection. The girl that stared back had dirt on her face and messy hair. Rin began humming a soft tune as she ran her fingers through her black hair to tame some of the tangles. Next, she splashed some water on her face before finally cupping her hands and drinking the chilly water. There was nothing like drinking cool water after winning a race. She was about to get up and return to her party, but a rustling amongst the brush caused her to tense up and hesitate. _Is it a demon?_ She fearfully questioned. A moment later, Lord Sesshōmaru emerged and Rin let out a soft sigh of relief. _I guess I was right, it is a demon,_ Rin mussed to herself. “You didn’t have to follow me, milord. I was about to return to Master Jaken and the others.”

           Sesshōmaru didn’t say anything, he merely sat down to the right of his young companion. He avoided her gaze and chose to stare off into the woodlands on the other side of the riverbank. A feeling of uneasiness arose in Rin, this was strange behavior for her lord. Worry swept across Rin’s face as Lord Sesshōmaru remained silent for what seemed like eons.

           “Do you remember what happened after the hellhound grabbed you?” He finally asked. He was as calm and collected as the time she’d first found him injured in the forest near the village. Lord Sesshōmaru waited patiently for her response, quietly looking out of the corner of his eye at the young girl.

           “No,” Rin sighed in defeat, “I don’t remember what happened.” The headache began creeping over her, but she knew that she had to be strong in front of the yōkai.

           Lord Sesshōmaru raised an eyebrow in curiosity, “Nothing at all?”

           Rin lowered her gaze. She wracked her brain for anything that she remembered before she’d been greeted by Lord Sesshōmaru’s concerned face as she awoke at the castle. She closed her eyes and her eyebrows bunched up as she tried to focus. Focus. After the hellhound had sprang towards her, there was only darkness in her mind. Nothing more than an endless void. A cold, black nothingness.

           Her brown eyes flew open as she gasped in realization. She had only ever felt that cold blanket of darkness once before when wolves had descended upon her. It all made sense now. “I died.” Rin softly murmured, more a statement than a question. After several seconds, a smile spread across her face. Peace finally enveloped her and her headache seemed to retreat for good.

           “Yes,” Sesshōmaru began, “you died in the Underworld. However, I couldn’t revive you.” The daiyōkai continued to stare across the riverbank. Rin looked up at her lord in surprise, why hadn’t he been able to revive her with Tenseiga? As if sensing her question, he continued, “A creature can only be revived once with Tenseiga. My mother brought you back with her Meido Stone. However,” he turned to look Rin in her eyes, “she warned that it was your last chance.”

            Fear tainted the brown eyes that were usually filled with joy and light. She had hoped to be at Lord Sesshōmaru’s side for as long as possible, but now those hopes were dashed against jagged rocks as the wave of reality rolled over her. The girl had no more chances, every breath she took now was precious. She would have to enter the cold void forever long before her lord met his demise.

            Death didn’t scare Rin, she’d already accepted that it was simply a part of life. After all, she was always willing to put her life at risk if it meant saving another. No, what terrified Rin was having to face the void that came before paradise alone. She’d have to experience a loneliness deeper than what she felt after her family had been brutally murdered by bandits. She’d be lonelier than when she lived in the village and endured beatings from children and adults alike. Her tiny fists clutched her checkered kosode and she felt a drop of water on her hand. As she slowly opened her eyes, she realized that she’d begun crying. Tears were streaming down her face and dripping down onto her hands like a salty waterfall. A few soft sniffles escaped her tiny, shaking form. Without thinking about the consequences, Rin threw her arms around Lord Sesshōmaru and held onto him for dear life. She sobbed into his white kimono as she nestled herself against his cold armor. Her small arms were barely able to wrap around his waist.

          Sesshōmaru remained silent. Though he would never cry, he understood the pain that Rin was experiencing. He had felt that same pain when he realized that life had departed from her in the Underworld. Even though her tears had already created a large wet spot on his kimono, he wouldn’t stop her from crying. The yōkai could accept that humans, in their weakness and fragility, only had crying as a way to cope with dramatic revelations.

           Suddenly, Rin felt a warm presence on her back. She turned her head and her sobbing stopped for a brief moment. Lord Sesshōmaru had reached his right arm around her and his hand was currently resting on her back. Though he remained as silent and stoic as ever, the action spoke volumes to Rin. She rubbed the tears from her eyes and stared up at the strong daiyōkai. Her lips slowly upturned into a grateful smile. She gently laid her head back down and nuzzled into his broad chest. Curling up as tight as possible, Rin closed her eyes and listened to the heartbeat of her lord. It was a soothing melody that echoed the unspoken promise. For so long as that heart continued beating, he would do everything in his power to keep her heart beating as well.


	2. A Choice Revisited

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is meant to take place seconds after Inuyasha jumped through the Meido in Inuyasha-The Final Act 25: Thoughts Fall Short. Throughout this fanfiction I'll be using the Chinese zodiac to describe directional terms (ex. Ox-Tiger means northeast), so this is a helpful reference guide: https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Zodiac  
> Also, I obviously don't own the Inuyasha series or characters, they were created by Rumiko Takahashi.

            A stunned silence filled the dusty air. No one dared to breathe as their minds processed what had just happened. The only sign of life was Miroku tightening his grip around his staff.

            However, the sound of footsteps broke the spell that had fallen on the group. Awakened from their momentary slumber, all heads turned to see Sesshōmaru walking away from where they had been gathered around the Bone-Eater’s Well. Reality slowly sunk in for the group, fear and uncertainty began to creep at the edge of their consciousness.

            “Please wait, Lord Sesshōmaru!” Rin cried out. The daiyōkai slowed to a halt and gazed over his shoulder at the small girl. Her checkered orange kosode was dirty after being exposed to Naraku’s miasma for so long. Strands of black hair clung to her sweaty face. The dark circles under her brown eyes betrayed the fact that she was absolutely exhausted. “I’m sure Kagome will be back soon. Please, if we wait just a little bit longer—”

            “Rin.” The icy voice of Sesshōmaru cut off the pleading child. “Only that worthless half-breed can help the priestess now.” He snarled in disgust, the mere mention of Inuyasha brought a bitter taste to his mouth. His golden eyes narrowed as he added, “We’re leaving.” Without waiting for Rin’s response, the yōkai grabbed Ah-Un’s reins and continued heading in the direction of the Rabbit.

            “Are you saying that there’s no way to help Inuyasha?” Miroku questioned as he supported a distraught Sango.

            “A pathetic human such as yourself can only wait for that dimwit to return,” the yōkai responded, his back to Miroku as he continued walking.

            “Wait, milord,” Jaken, who had realized that he was about to be left behind, began trotting after the towering figure. As the imp passed Rin, however, he noticed that the girl hadn’t budged. “Come on you silly creature, do as Lord Sesshōmaru commands.” But Rin wasn’t paying attention to Master Jaken squawking at her, she was focused on the demon that was slowly moving away from her.

“Sesshōmaru.” Lady Kaede sternly said as she shuffled towards where Rin stood.

Jaken, who was still adamantly scolding Rin, quickly turned to face the approaching miko. He held the Staff of Two Heads in both hands as rage overcame him. “That’s Lord Sesshōmaru to you. How dare you disrespect the greatest yōkai to ever live! A lowly priestess such as yourself should know your place.”

            “Can you knock it off?” Shippō growled, tears at the edge of his eyes as he lunged at the imp. The pair fell to the ground and began fighting, Shippō with his claws and Jaken with his staff. Kaede, however, paid no heed to the tussling creatures.

            “Are ye sure that it’s wise to take the child with you?” Kaede placed a protective hand on Rin’s shoulder. The demon had not stopped when she’d first addressed him or when Jaken was attacked, and even now he refused to give the old woman an ounce of his attention. He was tired of interruptions. But it would take more than Sesshōmaru’s silence to quiet the priestess. “Rin should live among her own kind. Travelling with ye has already taken a toll on her, let her rest among humans.”  

            Sesshōmaru dropped Ah-Un’s reins and turned to face the group that was still circled around where the well had been. His face was a stone mask, indifferent and uncaring. “Rin,” the demon addressed the child as their gazes met. “Follow me if you so choose.” Without another word, the daiyōkai turned once more to continue on his journey. Lady Kaede’s frown deepened as she squeezed Rin’s shoulder. The miko hoped that Rin would stay at the village, but she wouldn’t try to stop the child if she decided to follow the dangerous creature.

            Rin hesitated for a moment. She knew that she wanted to follow her lord, but she also wanted to make sure Kagome returned safely. However, fear grasped her heart at the mere thought of being abandoned. There was another emotion bubbling up inside her too, one that knew she’d deeply miss Master Jaken and Lord Sesshōmaru if she stayed in the village even for a day. They were her friends and companions, and she wasn’t about to leave her friends behind. Rin dashed out from Lady Kaede’s grasp and threw her arms around Kohaku. “Please,” she whispered as she hugged the demonslayer, “come find me as soon as Kagome returns.”

            “Of course,” Kohaku mumbled as he gently rubbed the girl’s back. He had enjoyed her company and her little games had always been a wonderful distraction from the impending doom of Naraku. He would miss her immensely, but he knew that it was no longer his fate to travel with Lord Sesshōmaru. It was time for him to make a life of his own, it was time to put Kikyō’s light to good use. As their embrace ended, Kohaku knelt down to look his friend in her chocolate eyes. “May the kami guide you.”

            “And you as well.” Rin responded, grinning at Kohaku. Now was not the time for tearful goodbyes. With a final wave to Sango and Miroku, Rin ran off to follow Lord Sesshōmaru.

            Shippō and Jaken were both still dazed from their scuffle, and Rin had to help the green imp to his feet. “Come on, Master Jaken!” The girl beamed and outstretched her hand, “We’ve got to catch up to Lord Sesshōmaru.” As Jaken grasped her small hand, the young girl sprinted after the daiyōkai with the short screaming creature in tow.

            Sesshōmaru was almost a hundred yards from where the Bone-Eater’s Well once stood, but Rin covered the distance in no time. She ran through the forest like it was her sole purpose in life. As she trotted up to him, she lightly tugged on his kimono to let him know her answer. When the tall demon looked down at his companion, the faintest hint of a smile seemed to flash over his face. But just as quickly as it appeared, it disappeared back into the stone mask. _Perhaps it was a trick of the light_ , Rin thought to herself as she let go of Master Jaken’s hand and mounted Ah-Un. A huge smile cracked across her face as she lovingly scratched Ah-Un’s tough scales and the creature gave a grunt of appreciation. _Yes_ , Rin thought as she shifted her gaze to look at her proud and powerful lord, _this is where I’m meant to be._

            “Milord, where are we headed?” Jaken questioned as the group headed deeper into the forest. The trees seemed to bow in reverence as the yōkai walked beneath their large limbs. Sesshōmaru lifted his head and watched the sky through the dancing leaves. Though there were several clouds today, one particular cloud caught his attention. It was large and looked like a great inu yōkai leaping through the domain of the kami.   

            “To create an empire greater than my father’s.”

***

            A week had passed when Kohaku finally appeared riding Kirara. Rin and Jaken had been roasting fish they had caught and were startled when the giant cat demon landed in front of their fire. Rin screamed and fell backwards while Jaken immediately leaped up with the Staff of Two Heads.

            “Do you think it’s funny to appear without any warning?” Jaken chastised while Kohaku chuckled at their reactions. The demonslayer ignored the imp, he knew he didn’t have time to argue with him.  

            “Inuyasha returned five sunrises ago,” Kohaku began as he sat down by the fire. “But Kagome wasn’t with him.”

            Rin gasped, “Is she still stuck in the Underworld?”

            Kohaku shook his head as he continued, “No, Inuyasha said that she’s safe. He said something about how she’s back in her world now, but wouldn’t explain any further.”

            Rin lowered her brown eyes. She was happy that Kagome was safe, but she could only imagine how much pain Inuyasha was going through right now. Her hands bunched up into tiny fists, she knew all too well what it was like to lose someone you deeply care about. “Thank you, Kohaku.”

            The demonslayer smiled, “Anytime, Rin.” With that, the slender boy stood up and brushed the dirt off of his demonslayer outfit. Though he hadn’t realized it over the course of the past year, Kohaku had begun growing taller and gaining muscle mass. It wasn’t until his uniform had become a bit too snug and short that he realized this fact. Sango had insisted that she tailor it to fit him better, and she was currently working on his spare outfit.   

            “Wait, you’re leaving already?” Rin questioned. Though she hadn’t expected him to follow Lord Sesshōmaru forever, she’d hoped to spend some more time with her friend.

            Kohaku nodded as he stroked Kirara’s plush fur, “I’ve got to get back to the village and continue my training. Soon I’ll be the greatest demon slayer to ever live!” A sparkle of determination and spunk shone in his brown eyes as he mounted Kirara. “I’m sure we’ll bump into each other soon. Farewell, Rin,” he called out as Kirara leaped into the sky.

            Rin watched Kirara fly higher and higher into the night until they disappeared among the twinkling stars. A soft smile graced Rin’s face, she was relieved that she wouldn’t have to worry about Kagome anymore. With a content sigh, she closed her eyes and let the crackling fire lull her to sleep. 


	3. Characters in the Sand

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For anyone concerned with the timeline of events, these next several chapters will take place during the three years that Kagome was in the modern era. Don't worry, we're going to eventually catch up to Inuyasha-The Final Act 26: Towards Tomorrow.

            Ah-Un soared through the low clouds that drifted above the rough sea. Though they were far above the crashing waves, the salty sea spray still reached them. Rin shivered as the cool water vapor hit her face. She tugged on the ends of the white cotton blanket that rested on her shoulders and wrapped her arms around herself. This was the first winter that she’d experienced while travelling with Lord Sesshōmaru, and she longed for the warmth of a fire. Thankfully a rice farmer had stumbled across her while she was foraging and offered her the blanket.

            “Say, Master Jaken,” The inquisitive child leaned back to look at the imp, “do demons get cold in the winter?”

            “Don’t be ridiculous,” Jaken replied through chattering teeth. “Us demons are much more resilient than you weak humans.”

            “Well you seem pretty cold to me…” Rin murmured as the yōkai shivered in Ah-Un’s saddle. Without hesitation, she dropped the blanket from her shoulders and twisted in the saddle to wrap it around Master Jaken.

            “Stop! Lord Sesshōmaru will have my head if you get a cold,” the imp shrieked as he was enveloped in the warm fabric. Rin ignored his cries, she was too focused on tying a knot to secure the blanket around him. Though he’d originally resisted the gesture, the additional warmth slowly quieted him down.

            Rin smiled as she turned back around in the saddle and looked out at the land stretching ahead of them. They’d been flying over the coast for several miles, but hadn’t come across any signs of life. However, they’d seen three villages that had fallen into ruin. All that remained were the faint outlines of demolished huts. Rin had originally assumed that a typhoon had hit the coast, but Master Jaken was convinced that it was the work of a demon. Regardless, their current task was to assess the economy and resources of the coastal area, so ruins weren’t much help.

            Sesshōmaru had sent the pair out at dawn to survey the land, but the sun had already begun its descent. With only a few hours of daylight remaining, Rin tugged on Ah-Un’s reins to move inland. However, as the dragon veered to the left, Rin realized that there was something in the distance. It was a tiny blip of brown on the vast ocean, a fishing boat. What was more, it seemed to be heading in the direction of the Pig-Rat. Rin followed the path of the boat with her eyes and she gasped as she saw the distinct shape of huts along the shoreline only a few miles in front of them.

            “Quickly Ah-Un, we’ve got to make it to the village before sunset,” the child cracked the reins. The dragon yōkai gave a low groan as he flew faster over the beach. As they drew closer to the village, they could see the glow of blue lanterns that lit the path of the fishermen and artisans walking beneath them. The blue light reflected off shiny fish scales and ladies’ hand mirrors alike. Ah-Un suddenly slowed to a halt and hovered in midair half a mile from the town.

            “What’s wrong, Ah-Un?” Rin questioned as she stroked the creature’s neck. But she soon realized why the beast had stopped. Though the village appeared to be quite active, not a sound was made. The villagers were mute, and even their footsteps seemed to emit only silence. A foreboding presence hung over the village. Jaken shuddered upon sensing the thick demonic aura.

            “We’ve got to figure out what’s wrong, Master Jaken,” Rin stated, determination in her voice.

            “Absolutely not, I’ll be killed if you get hurt investigating a mortal village,” Jaken stubbornly replied. He refused to compromise on this one.

            “But what if it really is a demon?” Her small hands clenched into fists, frustration rising up inside her. “Lord Sesshōmaru would want to know if there was a demon in the area,” she added as Ah-Un landed. She leapt down off of the yōkai and her feet sank into the soft sand upon contact. Without waiting to see if Master Jaken would follow her, Rin began running towards the village of blue light.

            Jaken groaned, he would have to play the role of babysitter yet again. He quickly untied the knot on the blanket and draped it over Ah-Un’s haunches. “Rin, get back here right now!” Jaken yelled, breaking into a trot. It was moments such as these that made Jaken wish that Lord Sesshōmaru had left the head-strong child on the forest floor.

            Though running on sand was tougher than Rin originally imagined, she reached the outskirts of the village in only a few minutes. Up close, she could see that the eerie blue lanterns were hung up on strings that ran from one hut to another. The people walked beneath them with their heads bowed and their hands clasped together in prayer. Women, fishermen, and soldiers alike shuddered underneath the blue glow. What should have been a bustling marketplace was filled with a silence as thick as fog. Most villagers had their eyes lowered to the ground, but some were frantically shifting their gaze. A woman with a child on her back happened to look in Rin’s direction. As their eyes locked, Rin could see the sheer terror that was consuming her soul.

            “Rin, we must leave at once. Lord Sesshōmaru commanded us to return by dusk.” Jaken said in between pants, finally catching up to the young girl. Rin didn’t respond, she quivered underneath the stare of the woman. “Hm? What’s wrong Rin?” the imp questioned as he slowly followed her line of sight.

            As Jaken turned towards the woman, the mother’s eyes widened and her mouth dropped open in a silent scream. She quickly scrambled away from the duo and began tapping on the other villagers’ shoulders. As each person turned to see why the woman was frightened, a look of horror would pass over their face when their eyes settled on the green yōkai with the strange staff. Panic spread through the village like wildfire. People pushed and shoved in a desperate attempt to get indoors and far away from the imp. Soon, Rin and Jaken were the only ones left standing in the street.

            “What a strange woman,” Jaken murmured, breaking the silence.

            Rin nodded and whispered, “I’m scared, Master Jaken.” A cold bead of sweat ran down her forehead. The pair began slowly walking backwards, not daring to turn their backs on the haunting place. Jaken gripped the Staff of Two Heads tightly. With such an intense demonic aura being emitted, they were bound to run into trouble soon.

            Suddenly, a hand emerged from the darkness of a nearby hut and grabbed Rin’s arm. The girl let out a terrified shriek and dug her heels into the ground. However, the sand was too soft for her to put up a fight, and her assailant began dragging her towards the awaiting hut.

            “Rin!” Jaken cried as he grabbed onto the back of her kosode. If they were going to take Rin, then they’d have to take him as well. The door of the hut slammed shut as Rin and Jaken were forced inside.

            With the sun disappearing beyond the horizon, the inside of the hut was pitch black. Rin could barely tell the difference between having her eyes opened and closed. The air was stuffy and it smelled of musty mildew. The straw that she was forced to sit down on was wet from moisture and sea air. The hard wood against her back told her that she was along one of the walls of the structure. Several differently pitched wheezes and sniffles alerted her to the fact that there were many people huddled into this small hut.

            “How dare you capture us! Explain yourself this instant,” Jaken demanded. The attackers hadn’t realized that the yōkai had followed Rin in, and Jaken felt a dozen pair of hands seize his body. They tugged and pulled on the imp from every direction. “Unhand me!” he cried as he struck out at the nearest shadowy figure with the Staff of Two Heads. There was a dull thud and the figure stumbled backwards into Rin. The surprisingly light person fell into her lap and warm blood began to trickle onto her torso. Rin gasped, the figure couldn’t have been a day past five years old based on its small form. Before she could call out to Jaken and tell him they were just children, the assailants had forced him back towards the door. The children had resorted to biting the yōkai to subdue him, and Rin heard the sound of Jaken dropping the Staff of Two Heads. Jaken’s cries of agony and the scent of blood filled the hut.

             Rin shoved the whimpering child off of her as she leapt to her feet to save her friend. However, four children grabbed her before she could reach Jaken. She struggled against them, but their combined strength eventually forced her back down to the straw covered floor. Hot tears streamed down her face. The door of the hut suddenly swung open, and, in the brief moment of blue light, she saw the unconscious body of Master Jaken thrown out of the hut.

             “Lord Sesshōmaru!” Rin threw her head back as she cried to the heavens in a broken sob. “Lord Sessh—” a large hand muffled her screams.  

             “Will you shut up?” The owner of the hand hissed. One of the shadowy figures shuffled about in the darkness, and a soft light filled the hut as a lantern was lit. With the addition of light, Rin could finally see that there were at least fifteen children of various ages sitting in a circle. The youngest seemed to be the injured child that had fallen into Rin’s lap earlier. He was now getting bandaged up by a girl with ratty black hair. The oldest was the one who was covering her mouth. He looked about fifteen and had auburn hair. In the flickering candlelight, however, she could also make out the shape of fox ears atop his head. The fox hanyō sighed and dropped his hand from Rin’s mouth, “I’m sorry, we’re just trying to protect you. My name is Daichi, and I’m the leader of this group of orphans.” He gestured towards the circle of children.

              “I don’t need to be protected,” Rin huffed as she stood to her feet. “That was my friend that you just beat up, you dumb half-de—” Daichi covered her mouth once again.

              “How can you be so reckless?” He snarled, exposing his fangs. He grabbed the front of her kosode with his other hand, his face inches from hers. His golden eyes narrowed as he continued, “You’ll summon it if you say that accursed word.”

              “Back off, Daichi,” the girl with ratty hair called out. “She’s a traveler, she doesn’t know about the curse. Cut her some slack.” The hardened gold eyes slowly softened, and Daichi released her kosode.

              “I’m sorry, I get carried away easily,” his fox ears were pinned back against his head in shame. He slumped down in front of Rin, fear and distraught written on his face. Though she was still furious that they attacked Jaken, she felt a twinge of pity for the fox hanyō. “You see, a few days ago…it arrived. It put a horrible curse on this village; if we didn’t comply with its every wish then it vowed to destroy our village with a terrible storm. At first it only asked for fish, but now…” Daichi trailed off and swallowed thickly. His head dropped in grief, “To put it simply, there used to be more of us.”

             The youngest child let out a wail at the mention of their fallen brethren. The girl holding him stroked his black hair to calm him down. Rin let out a heavy sigh. _I wish I’d listened to Master Jaken and stayed on Ah-Un_ , she thought. But now was not the time to wallow in regret. “Why do you keep calling it ‘it’? And why don’t you just defeat ‘it’?” Rin questioned, looking into Daichi’s eyes.

             “To speak of its true name is to summon it,” the girl with ratty hair spoke up once more. “Even the mention of the…d-word can summon it.” The orphans simultaneously shuddered at the thought of summoning the creature that plagued the village. “If you wish to know its true name,” she continued, gently moving the young child from her lap. The girl used her finger to write in a section of sand that wasn’t covered by straw. It was a clearly defined character, but Rin couldn’t understand what it said.

             “I can’t read,” Rin quietly admitted. She lowered her eyes in shame. It was humiliating that these orphans knew how to read and write, but her mother had never taught her anything past how to write her name. Then again, it wasn’t her mother’s fault that she was murdered by bandits before she could teach Rin the full alphabet.

             “No matter,” Daichi dismissively waved his hand in the air, “it’s not important. But to address your other question, its not as simple as swinging a sword at it.” His golden eyes darkened. “I’m sure you noticed all of the blue lanterns around the village. There’s exactly one hundred of them. One of the lanterns contains its soul, the other ninety-nine are filled with the souls of villagers. The lanterns are physically identical, so you couldn’t just hack away at the lanterns unless you wanted to kill the whole village.” A bitter laugh escaped him, “We’re in a bit of a predicament. We’ll be eaten if we stay, but our souls will be destroyed if we fight.”

             Silence fell over the hut, the hopelessness in Daichi’s statement reverberated through each child. The younger children began to cry softly while the older ones comforted them. Rin pitied their situation. _There must be a way to defeat the creature_ , she mused. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the youngest one crawl over to where the girl had written the character into the sand.

            His bright eyes sparkled and he giggled as he pointed to the word. “You can’t read this, silly? It says Ao.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: I loosely based Ao off of the actual Japanese legend of ao andon. If you'd like to learn more about it, here's a helpful website: http://yokai.com/aoandon/


	4. Hunter's Instincts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: some rabbits die in this chapter. If you're like me and almost cried when the forest critters died from Naraku's miasma, this might not be the chapter for you.

            Sesshōmaru transformed into his true form the moment Rin and Jaken disappeared into the morning sky on Ah-Un. He bared his teeth as his stomach painfully called for food. It had been several weeks since his last meal. He’d been far too focused on defeating Naraku to give in to his demonic desire for gruesome bloodshed. But his hunger was hard to ignore while in his inu yōkai form, and he was soon racing through the forest in search of prey. Though the sound of the crashing waves and the salty sea partially impaired his hearing and sense of smell, he quickly picked up the scent of a weak yōkai.

            His crimson eyes were filled with bloodlust as he bounded through the forest. His large paws crushed any small trees that stood in his way. Sesshōmaru wasn’t concerned with stealth, the iron scent of the rabbit yōkai told him that it was already injured. The trees began to thin out as he approached a clearing, and he saw a glimpse of gray fur. The medium-sized yōkai was leaning against a tree stump in the middle of the clearing and was nursing a wound on its hindleg. Saliva filled Sesshōmaru’s jaws as he saw his prey. He gracefully leaped into the air with a snarl.

            His claws ripped into the soft flesh and his fangs bit the creature’s neck. The rabbit was dead in a matter of seconds; Sesshōmaru released his grip as he felt it go limp beneath him. Without hesitation, he began devouring the warm carcass. Blood coated his muzzle as he buried his snout into his meal. Soon only the bones of the yōkai remained. Sesshōmaru tugged off a particularly large bone and held it between his paws. Using his mighty jaws, he snapped the bone in half and ate the delicious marrow inside.

            With his hunger slightly satisfied, he curled up in the clearing and basked in the sunlight. Though it was true that he didn’t want Rin and Jaken to see the gruesome scene, he also just wanted a day of peace and quiet. It seemed like it had been an eternity since he’d been able to give into his demonic desires and rest. Sesshōmaru gave a content sigh as he wrapped his tail around himself and drifted off to sleep.

***

            The sound of rustling bushes near the edge of the clearing awoke him from his slumber. As he lifted his massive head, he noticed that the sun had begun its descent towards the Rooster. He must’ve been asleep for several hours.

            “Sweetheart,” a soft voice said, snapping Sesshōmaru out of his thoughts. He let out a deep growl as he stood up. No one would disrespect him by calling him ‘sweetheart’. The head of another rabbit yōkai peaked out from behind the bush it was hiding in. Tears were streaming down its face, its gaze fixed on the carcass of its former mate.

            Sesshōmaru’s demonic instincts kicked in once more as he lunged at the new yōkai. Psychological injuries are as equally detrimental as physical ones, and the rabbit fell as quickly as its mate did. Sesshōmaru indulged himself in the fresh meal. As he completely satisfied his hunger, he could feel his inner demon becoming quieter. He could finally focus on things that mattered, like why Rin and Jaken hadn’t returned by now.

            He looked up at the burnt orange sky, and Rin’s voice suddenly rang in his ears. “Lord Sesshōmaru!” She cried in distress. Abandoning the yōkai, he leaped into the air.

            The large inu yōkai flew in the direction that he’d seen Ah-Un go, and he quickly picked up the trio’s scent. Sesshōmaru scanned the barren beach for any sign of where they might be. After several minutes, the smell of human blood reached his sensitive nose. He could hear a symphony of screams. The daiyōkai flew faster, fearing the worst. Eventually, he could see a strange blue light emanating from a village in the distance. On the ground beneath him, he saw the outline of Ah-Un. The scent of Rin and blood were growing stronger.

            As he descended just outside of the village and transformed back into his human form, he entered a world of chaos. Bodies with crumpled blue lanterns lined the streets. The nearby sea was so ferocious that its massive waves had already claimed the docks and several huts. Sesshōmaru waded through the blood and water, following the slightly floral scent of Rin. A group of villagers began running towards him, but shrieked in horror when they saw the daiyōkai. The group froze in place, they could either continue towards the new demon or turn around and be consumed by Ao.

            Sesshōmaru paid the terrified villagers no heed as he dashed through the streets of the village. Her scent was becoming stronger while the smell of blood was growing fainter. However, his relief was short lived as he heard her scream. He quickly turned the corner and there was Rin kneeling over the body of an injured Jaken. A blue-faced female yōkai with long, black fangs was rushing towards her. Though Rin clutched the Staff of Two Heads like a club, fear immobilized her arm.

            Quick as lightening, Sesshōmaru plunged his poisonous claws into the attacker. His entire forearm went through her abdomen.

            The yōkai laughed bitterly, “Why do you hurt me so? We’re exactly the same, you and I.” She lifted a wrinkled hand and touched the blood that was still stained around Sesshōmaru’s mouth. “We’re just trying to get our next meal,” the yōkai whispered as her body began to fade. Within seconds, nothing remained of the creature.

            “Just an illusion,” Sesshōmaru snarled in frustration. He turned slightly to look at Rin once more. Her eyes were red from crying and she was tearing off pieces of her kosode to form makeshift bandages for Jaken. Blood was caked around her waist, but it didn’t smell of her.  “Are you alright?”

            “Yes, I’m fine.” Rin avoided her lord’s gaze. She didn’t want to see the blood smeared on his face. “I heard that the only way to defeat it is to find the blue lantern that contains its soul,” Rin gestured to the lanterns blowing in the wind. “But only one of them has its soul, the others are filled with the souls of villagers.”

            Suddenly, a soft cough escaped from Jaken and his eyes opened slightly. “Milord,” the imp croaked. Rin sighed with relief and she hugged Jaken tightly. She’d begun to think that he wouldn’t make it.  

            “Take care of Jaken,” Sesshōmaru commanded as he glared at the blue lanterns above their heads. Each one seemed to emit the same amount of demonic energy, but there had to be a way to figure out which one contained the demon’s soul. He placed a hand on the hilt of Bakusaiga.

            Walking back through the village, it was hard to miss the half-consumed corpses with their respective lanterns near their head. The lanterns were extinguished and had been trampled underfoot the terrified scramble of the living. Most people died by themselves, but there were some clusters of bodies from groups that had been backed into a corner. However, what caught Sesshōmaru’s eye was the largest corpse pile in the entire village. The pile was composed of at least fifteen villagers that were haphazardly stacked on top of each other. And, at the center of the pile, was the smell of the ocean. Of course, a coastal village would always have a consistent sea breeze, but this smelt of seaweed and rotting driftwood.  

           Sesshōmaru moved the ice-cold bodies as quickly as possible. Their dull eyes stared at him, silently questioning why he had disturbed their slumber. Tenseiga remained still in its scabbard, even it knew that there was no hope to save the victims of the demon’s carnage. Finally, Sesshōmaru found the centermost body. In life it had been a fox half-demon, but in death it firmly clutched a blue lantern. A blue lantern that was still lit.

           The daiyōkai swiftly drew Bakusaiga and pierced its tip into the lantern. An intense, blue light shot out as it was shredded to pieces. The mournful cry of a woman filled the chilly night air. With the demon soul destroyed, the other lanterns around the village slowly began to disappear. Though the village became dark with the absence of light, the people rejoiced at the curse being broken.

***

            “Lord Sesshōmaru?” Rin innocently began. She’d elected to give up her usual place on Ah-Un’s back until Jaken fully recovered, and she was merrily stomping through the snow. They’d left the village with the blue lanterns shortly after Ao’s defeat, and the temperature had plummeted over the past few days. 

            “Yes?” Her lord inquired, his breath frosting.  

            “Do you know how to read and write?” She asked as she skipped next to him. Though Sesshōmaru knew how to hide his emotions, he was slightly taken aback by the question.

            “Yes, my mother taught me when I was very young. Why do you ask?” Sesshōmaru quietly observed the child out of the side of his eye.

            “Oh, no reason in particular.” Rin reached down and formed a small snow ball. “Could you teach me how to read and write one day?” She tossed the snow ball at a nearby tree and squealed as bits of snow rained over her.

            “The great…Lord Sesshōmaru doesn’t have time for…writing lessons,” Jaken groaned from Ah-Un’s saddle. Sesshōmaru looked back at his loyal servant. Though Jaken was an intelligent creature, he wasn’t right about everything.

            Sesshōmaru quietly nodded, and Rin jumped in the air with excitement.   


	5. A Winter Come and Gone

            “This one means ‘mountain’,” Sesshōmaru said as he used a stick to draw in the freshly exposed dirt. It was the first day in several sunrises that the sun had shown its face. The snow that had once blanketed the landscape was slowly melting away. With Jaken still suffering from a concussion, the group had to make stops when Rin grew tired of walking. Having to stop at least three times a day mildly irked Sesshōmaru, but only because he wasn’t used to it. When they’d been searching for Naraku, Rin would always sleep on Ah-Un’s back or Sesshōmaru would leave them behind while he went on ahead. But he knew he had to be patient or else Rin could collapse from exhaustion, and he didn’t dare leave her in the hands of a half-conscious Jaken. For now, he took advantage of the free time by teaching Rin how to write.

            Sesshōmaru sat with his back against a broad magnolia tree and Rin sat to his left, her own stick tightly grasped in her hand. She was carefully studying how he drew the three-pronged character. Her pink tongue stuck out of the side of her mouth as she concentrated her entire being into copying the word. Her hand shook slightly as she drew the first prong. This was her fourth writing lesson, and her characters had been extremely sloppy when they’d first begun. However, she was slowly learning how to write as elegantly as her lord. “Like this?” She asked, finishing the third prong.

            Sesshōmaru nodded. “Which character would you add if you wanted to write ‘the mountain’?” Though he knew that she was just a beginner, he still wanted to challenge her and not hand her everything on a silver platter.

            Rin closed her eyes as she tried to remember their previous lessons. After a few moments, she drew a swirling character above the original one.

            “Good,” his tone was flat and icy, but Rin couldn’t help but beam at his praise. Pride filled her as she looked down at the numerous characters that they’d already practiced during this lesson. With each day, she drew closer to her goal of being literate. An enormous smile spread across her face, but it was interrupted by a sudden sneeze. Concern flashed in Sesshōmaru’s golden eyes. “That’s enough for today,” he said as he stood up and offered her an outstretched hand.

            Rin nodded as a shiver overcame her. Though it was a mild day, sitting on the cool, wet earth caused her to become chilled. As she grabbed his pale hand and pulled herself up, she couldn’t help but notice how tiny her hand was compared to his. Rin looked up at her lord’s face. Before her was a powerful yōkai that had slain countless adversaries, yet he had the patience to teach her how to write.

            “Thank you, Lord Sesshōmaru,” she said, a glimmer of awe sparkling in her chocolate eyes. On the surface she was thanking him for the lessons, but deep down she was also thanking him for everything he’d done ever since that fateful day in the forest. _He’s truly the greatest demon to ever live_ , she thought to herself as the party resumed their journey across the countryside.

***

            They spent the entire winter travelling through the eastern regions. Jaken eventually recovered from his injuries with enough rest, and he’d begged for Lord Sesshōmaru’s mercy the moment he was well enough to form coherent sentences. The imp had been so adamant that he should be punished for putting Rin’s life in danger that he only silenced his wailing after the daiyōkai smacked him. Everything returned to normal after that, it reminded Rin of how things had once been only a few months ago when Naraku roamed the earth. However, as much as she appreciated the familiarity, she was deeply confused. Though they’d traversed the entire region, took note of special resources, and fought demons, Lord Sesshōmaru hadn’t claimed any territory.

            On one particularly chilly morning, her curiosity consumed her. “Master Jaken,” the child began. Her and Jaken sat in front of the remnants of the previous night’s fire, the white blanket stretched over both of their legs. “Lord Sesshōmaru said he was going to create a great empire, so why doesn’t he have any territory?”

            The imp sighed and shook his head, “I’ve already told you that creating an empire could take centuries. Lord Sesshōmaru is simply following tradition.” He folded his arms before continuing his explanation. “Our lord must survey all of the possible lands that he could control. Because he’s so powerful, Lord Sesshōmaru will most likely thoroughly explore all of Nihon.”

            “But we already saw half of Nihon when we were tracking down Naraku,” Rin groaned. Though she loved to travel and explore, she dreaded the years it would take to scour every inch of land. _After all, I don’t know how much time I have left_ , she solemnly mused as she absentmindedly placed a hand over her heart.

            Jaken’s high-pitched voice snapped her out of her depressed thoughts, “That’s true, but it’s hard to assess the economy and fine details of a region when you’re preoccupied fighting Naraku and Inuyasha. However, that’s not all that must happen. Once Lord Sesshōmaru has chosen a suitable land, he’ll have to prove himself to the surrounding yōkai before he can claim any territory.”

            “Lord Sesshōmaru already has reputation though, what else does he have to do to prove himself?” Rin was starting to develop a headache. She hadn’t expected her question to turn into a complex lecture.

            “The easiest way to gain respect is by defeating a powerful demon, and, knowing our lord, that’s exactly what he’ll do. After the rival demon’s defeat, then he’ll be able to gain territory in that region.” Jaken relished in explaining things to the ever-curious Rin.

            “I see,” Rin sighed, putting her chin in her hand. If what Jaken said was true, then it would certainly take Lord Sesshōmaru a long time to build an empire. With each passing moment her hopes of staying by the yōkai’s side for as long as possible grew dimmer. Suddenly, Rin was struck by a new thought: _will I really follow him till I die?_ Her immediate answer was yes, but there was a seed of doubt planted in her heart. Would she ever have a normal life? Did she even want a normal life? However, before she could contemplate further, Lord Sesshōmaru returned from a brief errand and the group began traversing through the wilderness once more.  

***

            During the last snow of the winter, a familiar voice called out from the heavens.

            “Rin, is that you?” Kohaku yelled, crouched in the treetops above her. The demonslayer sprung down from the tree branches to the forest floor.

            “Kohaku!” Rin threw her arms around the lithe boy. “It feels like it’s been forever since I saw you.”

            Kohaku sheepishly smiled, “It’s only been a few months, Rin. I told you that we’d run into one another eventually.” He turned as he caught a glimpse of white and red. “Hello again, Lord Sesshōmaru,” the demonslayer said, bowing to the daiyōkai. Sesshōmaru remained silent, but he inclined his head in a polite greeting.    

            “C’mon, Kohaku. You can help us finish our snowman and fill me in on any news.” Rin stubbornly tugged on his sleeve, and Kohaku let himself be dragged by the girl. They’d only completed the body of the snowman, but Jaken was already collecting more snow to form the head.

            Kohaku helped Rin smooth out the body, his fingers quickly becoming chilled as he touched the cold snow. “There’s not much news from the village,” the demonslayer began. “When I’m not training, I’m off helping people plagued by demons. Truthfully, I enjoy travelling and slaying demons better than living in the village, Kaede’s hut is quite small with the two of us.”

            Rin’s brows furrowed in confusion. “Why don’t you stay with your sister, Kohaku?” She asked as they gently placed the head on top of the body.

            Kohaku’s cheeks turned a vibrant red, and Rin could tell it wasn’t just from the cold weather. “Well…Sango and Miroku,” Kohaku stammered, “really enjoy their…privacy.”

            She wasn’t sure what exactly he meant, but she decided not to question the poor boy any further. She began humming a soft tune to break the awkward silence that fell over the two of them. “There, he’s all done!” Rin squealed as they placed the last decorations on the snowman’s face. The trio stepped back to admire their work. Though the snowman’s face was slightly crooked and his body was too large for his head, Rin thought he was perfect. “Thank you, Kohaku.”

            The demonslayer smiled and hugged the child, “No problem, Rin. But I should get going, I promised a village that I’d get rid of their rat demon before the full moon.” Their brown eyes met as he said, “Farewell.” With a final squeeze on her shoulder, Kohaku leaped up into the trees and disappeared.

            Before Rin even realized it, winter began to slowly fade into spring. The snow began to thaw and the first grasses started to poke their heads from the earth. As each day passed, the sun stayed up for a tiny bit longer than the day before. She’d survived her first winter while following Lord Sesshōmaru. She’d officially been in her lord’s company for a year.  


	6. Human Interference

            The trees in the courtyard had started to grow small buds as they absorbed the spring sunlight. A breeze whispered across the quiet castle, swaying the nearly barren boughs. Though a poet may have thought the scene to be peaceful, a warrior could sense the thick tension in the air. There were no jovial laughs from the barracks and no pride shone in the eyes of the soldiers. Their heads were bowed as they dreaded their next order.

            “By order of our most gracious lord, the following units shall defend our lord’s honor on the third sunrise: Hideo and three units of archers, Kenta and four units of ashigaru pikemen, Ryu and one unit of cavalry and two units of pikemen. May you bring honor to our lord!” A vassal of the daimyō read from a scroll. The three samurai that had been called steeled themselves, they refused to dishonor their lord by showing their true emotions. Their lower ranking soldiers, however, were less reserved in their display of frustration. The units that had been called were the last of the able-bodied men. Murmurings floated through the barracks that their lord would sooner have them all buried than admit defeat to his recent adversary.

            However, regardless of their qualms, it was treason to refuse a direct order of the lord. Horses were saddled, pikes were sharpened, and arrows were made as the army prepared to face the rival daimyō in only three days.

***

            Rin relished in the feeling of the soft grass beneath her. The sun on her face was a welcome relief from the bitter winter. She knelt in the middle of an expansive meadow and was tugging on a particularly tough root. She gritted her teeth as she pulled with all of her might. The root wiggled in the dark earth, but it refused to submit. With a final grandiose tug, the root erupted from the ground and soil rained over her. A triumphant cry escaped her.

            However, while Rin was occupied foraging, she had failed to notice the armies forming on opposite sides of the meadow. The army to the left of her bore a blue crest while the one to her right bore a white crest. It wasn’t until the sound of neighing horses drifted towards her that she realized she was no longer alone in the meadow. She looked up in time to see a flurry of arrows sail across the sky.

            Rin instinctively ducked and prayed to the kami that they’d miss her. Though neither army was aiming for her, one less than skilled archer had shot too low. The whistling arrow landed only a foot away from her head. As silence filled the meadow, Rin assumed that meant she was safe and scrambled to her feet and dashed towards the tree line. Her heart pounded in her ears as her feet carried her as quickly as possible.

            “Do you see that, Kenta?” One of the white clad archers asked the samurai. The archer pointed at a speck of black hair running across the meadow.

            “Kami, that looks like a child. Call a ceasefire!” Kenta yelled to his troops, digging his heels into the sides of his horse. A horn was blown, and Kenta could only pray that their enemy accepted the command. His horse gracefully galloped down the slope towards the running child.

            Rin turned her head as the sound of hoofbeats became louder. A man clad in heavy armor with white accents atop a chestnut horse was gaining on her. The forest, however, was still a hundred yards away. Mustering up a final burst of energy, she sprinted faster than even when the wolves attacked her. She didn’t stop running even when the world around her became shaded. Her legs only slowed down when she was certain that she couldn’t hear the horse anymore. Out of breath, she placed her hands on her knees and gulped in air. She was still tightly grasping the root in a small fist.

            “Rin,” She hadn’t heard Lord Sesshōmaru approach, but the white kimono at the edge of her vision couldn’t have belonged to anyone else. The yōkai stood a few feet in front of her.

            “Yes, milord?” She responded between pants, lifting her gaze. Sweat and dirt clung to the child’s face.  

            “Did they hurt you?” Rin could feel his golden eyes examining her body in a medicinal way, scouring for any cuts or bruises. She shook her head, but his narrowed eyes told her that he was still angry. Sesshōmaru touched the hilt of Bakusaiga and stepped forward.

            Her eyes widened in realization. Suddenly, she ran towards her lord and stuck her arms out. “No, please don’t hurt them,” Rin begged, “I promise they didn’t hurt me.” The daiyōkai ignored her pleas and walked past her.

            “They put your life in danger,” Sesshōmaru said frigidly. There was determination in his step, and Rin knew she’d have to act quickly if she wanted to spare the innocent soldiers.

            “It was a misunderstanding, they didn’t know I was out in the meadow. Please!” Rin seized his hakama and held on for dear life. The gesture caused Sesshōmaru to stop in his tracks, more so out of surprise than Rin actually impeding him. “Please,” the child slowly sunk to her knees from exhaustion. She leaned her forehead against his calf. “Please…” she whispered, her body trembling.

            Sesshōmaru could smell her fear, fear that he’d kill those worthless humans who put her in harms way. Rage boiled in his veins, couldn’t she see that he wanted to punish them for her sake? But seeing Rin devolve into a quivering and pleading child promptly gave him his answer. The daiyōkai sighed, dropping his hand from Bakusaiga. “You don’t even know them,” Sesshōmaru murmured.  

            “That doesn’t mean that they deserve to die for something they didn’t do,” Rin’s voice was muffled by his hakama. Sesshōmaru remained silent, pondering her response for a few moments. Eventually, he broke away from her grasp and returned the way he came. Rin rose to her feet and followed her lord.

            A whistling sound pierced the silence of the peaceful forest. Sesshōmaru lurched forward as the arrow lodged itself in the part of his left shoulder not covered by armor. The yōkai turned with a snarl to face his attacker. The white-clad samurai had followed Rin on foot into the forest. Fire filled the samurai’s eyes. “Unhand the girl,” he demanded as he fired another arrow. It found purchase in Sesshōmaru’s jugular, but it did little to stop the advancing demon.

            Sesshōmaru swung his right hand to eviscerate the man with his poisonous claws, but the samurai blocked the attack with his bow. Kenta thrust his elbow upwards and pushed the yōkai off of him. He grabbed another arrow from his quiver and sunk it into the demon’s forearm as he blocked his attack again. With each passing moment, Sesshōmaru’s eyes turned from gold to red. Sesshōmaru sliced through the samurai’s neck with his free hand, and the warrior slumped to the forest floor.

            “Did you hear that? It sounded like Kenta,” distant voices called. The sound of clinking armor and heavy footsteps were headed their way.

            “Go find Jaken and Ah-Un,” Sesshōmaru ordered, placing himself between the oncoming army and Rin. She nodded before disappearing further into the forest. Though she had just begged for their lives, she knew there was no use arguing with Lord Sesshōmaru in his current state. Rin knew she couldn’t save their life if they decided to attack him first, but her heart still ached as the dying cries of soldiers swept through the forest.

            Rin found Jaken and Ah-Un gathered around a spring. “We have to leave. There are samurai after us,” Rin explained, grabbing Ah-Un’s reins and hopping onto his saddle.

            The imp struggled to lift himself onto Ah-Un’s back, but once he was settled the interrogation began. “Where is Lord Sesshōmaru? Why are we worried about pesky humans?”  
            

“I may have accidentally caused an entire army to chase me,” Rin admitted. Jaken immediately began lecturing her about how she needed to be more careful and that she couldn’t be wasting their lord’s time with trivial matters. “He stayed behind to fight them till we escaped,” she continued, though she wondered if Jaken was even listening to her anymore. He seemed far too consumed in his lecture to notice that she’d said anything at all.

            Sesshōmaru was intently focused on killing any warriors that dared to challenge him. Granted there were only a few soldiers left from the army, but they seemed adamant on destroying him. However, as he heard the familiar grunts of a dragon yōkai taking flight, he lowered his poisonous claws. Without a word, he launched himself into the air and flew off to join Rin and Jaken.

***

            “What?” furiously cried the daimyō, spitting his sake in surprise.

            The messenger winced, but repeated his message, “Almost all of your army was killed, but not a single warrior from your opponent fell. The surviving warriors say a silver-haired demon slaughtered your men.”

            “This is outrageous! Execute him,” the daimyō commanded. The pleas of the messenger grew fainter as he was dragged away and they stopped completely when a sword severed his head. The lord rubbed his temples. This wasn’t the news he wanted to hear. He’d sent out some of his best men to destroy his enemy once and for all, but a demon had interfered. “Call for Yoko.”

            “Yes, milord.” A vassal rushed to bring the dark priestess before his lord’s anger escalated. A few moments later, a woman dressed in a black kimono with a white obi appeared before the distraught lord.

            “You requested my audience, milord,” the dark priestess purred. She tipped her head in greeting and her long, dark hair grazed the floor.

            “Talk to my soldiers. Find out every detail you can about this silver-haired demon. Then take revenge on him for dishonoring me.” The daimyō gulped down another cup of sake to drown his sorrows. Oh, how humiliating it is to have the last of an army destroyed. He was a war lord without an army, and he was vulnerable until he regained his honor.

            “As you wish, milord.” A devilish sparkle shone in her blue eyes.   


	7. Down South

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to say thank you to all of my readers and everyone that's left kudos. It means the world to me that even a single person takes the time out of their day to read this fanfiction

            They officially left the forest covered eastern region during the middle of spring. Though Rin was thankful for a change in scenery, she would miss the cool weather. From what Sesshōmaru had told her, they were now headed to the warm southern region. Magnolias would give way to bamboo, and sun would soon become constant rain.

            Her writing lessons had become less frequent after Jaken recovered, but Sesshōmaru made sure to have at least two lessons per moon. The daiyōkai would silently hand her a stick as his way of telling her that they were going to have a lesson. The group had already travelled several miles that day, and Rin wasn’t surprised when a magenta-striped hand offered her a stick while they set up camp for the night. They’d decided to stop in a small clearing near the edge of a forest. As Jaken collected firewood, the lesson began.

            “This is how you write ‘knowledge’,” Sesshōmaru said as he drew two complex characters. He waited for her to copy the characters before instructing, “Write a sentence using ‘knowledge’.”

            Her brow furrowed in concentration, but after a few seconds she wrote a line of script: _Knowledge is as endless as the sea._

Jaken curiously peered over her shoulder at her writing. “It’s obvious who your teacher was,” he grumbled. The remark earned him a swift hit to his head, and he decided to keep all further comments to himself.  

            The sun descended beyond the horizon, and soon they relied on firelight to see their characters drawn in the dirt. However, Rin’s entire focus wasn’t on the lesson. While she appreciated Lord Sesshōmaru efforts, there was a question that was gnawing at her mind.

“Lord Sesshōmaru,” she shifted her weight before continuing, “I was wondering something.” Her lord remained stoically silent, but his adjusted posture told her that she had his attention. “Why are we heading south? Jaken said your father was the Lord of the West; don’t you inherit his territory?”

            Sesshōmaru’s stick snapped in half. Without a word, the daiyōkai disappeared into the night sky; his silhouette against the moon.

            “Milord!” Jaken cried as he leapt up from where he’d been dozing by the fire. His yellow eyes glared at Rin. “How dare you insult our lord!” The imp’s intense rage caught Rin off-guard. There was a fire in his eyes that she’d never seen before, and he held the Staff of Two Heads like he was about to strike her. “You’ve done more damage than any mortal sword. I’ve never seen him so outraged with a mortal, you’re lucky he didn’t kill you.” Jaken dangerously hissed. Rin cowered beneath the short demon.

            “What did I do wrong?” Rin attempted to defend herself from the demon’s berating comments.   

            “You insulted his pride,” the imp spat. “No, Lord Sesshōmaru didn’t receive any inheritance of land. The only things that Inu no Taishō left for his sons were the Tessaiga and Tenseiga. For yōkai to gain territory, you must kill the master of the land or they must submit to you. Since his father died before Lord Sesshōmaru could challenge him, he has no right to the western lands.” Jaken took several deep breaths to steady himself after the lecture. Slowly, the fury faded from his eyes and he lowered the Staff of Two Heads. Rin relaxed slightly now that the furious yōkai seemed to be calming down.

            “You’ll have to beg for mercy when he returns,” Jaken murmured, sitting down in front of the fire once more. Rin quietly nodded. She lowered her eyes, she hadn’t intentionally insulted her lord. However, she could only pray to the kami that he realized that too.

            “Rin,” the icy voice of her lord startled the child out of her thoughts. Rin frightfully scrambled away from the yōkai, but stopped when she recognized the golden eyes and magenta stripes.

            Her heart pounded in her chest. Quickly, she moved so that she knelt on her knees before the silver-haired demon. She bowed so low that her forehead touched the dirt. “Please forgive me, milord,” Rin whispered while bowing. “I didn’t mean to insult you.”

            Sesshōmaru scoffed, “As if a human could hurt my pride.” He walked past the submissive girl and untied Ah-Un’s reins from a nearby tree. Rin lifted her head in confusion. Her lord appeared calm, and she couldn’t see any anger in his face.

            “Then why did you leave, milord?” Jaken piped up. The daiyōkai tossed a small piece of paper in the direction of the imp. It was in the shape of a tiny, human-like figure. “A shikigami,” Jaken murmured, studying the slashed paper.

            “Someone is trying to follow us,” Sesshōmaru coldly stated. He guided Ah-Un over to Rin. The child understood the gesture, and she boarded the dragon without hesitation. Jaken quickly snuffed out the fire and attempted to remove all traces that they’d once been there. The group took to the night sky, guided by the full moon.

            Far away in the daimyō’s castle, Yoko cursed under her breath. She’d underestimated how observant the demon was, but she wouldn’t make the same mistake again.   

***

            They flew the entire way to the border of the southern region. They only briefly landed during the five-day trip when Rin was hungry or needed to relieve herself.

            Rin preoccupied herself by watching the changing landscape beneath them and singing songs. It was fascinating to watch the forests shift from having little underbrush to having a thick understory. Though the rainforests were dark and dense, she would occasionally glimpse a bright speck of color amongst the foliage. Bright pink, white, and purple flowers were dotted amongst the shoots of bamboo. As they shifted from travelling Goat-Monkey to Horse, the teal colored sea lined the horizon.

            But it wasn’t just the flora that Rin admired, the fauna of the region was abundant and active too. While foraging, she’d stumbled across more than one spotted deer that regarded her with curiosity before bolting deeper into the thicket. Once she realized that the quizzical, beady eyes of the grass lizards reminded her of Jaken, she could hardly contain her giggles.

            “Lizard, lizard, why is Jaken green? Lizard, lizard, don’t be mean,” the girl would sing to her captive audience of forest creatures.

            Rin sighed with content at the playful memory. She lightly petted the tough scales of Ah-Un and brushed his mane with her fingers. The dragon gave a low groan in return, exhaustion in his eyes as he glanced at his young rider.

            “Lord Sesshōmaru says we’ll reach the border soon,” Rin reassured the tired yōkai. “Then you can eat all the bamboo and leaves that your heart desires.” Ah-Un seemed pleased with this promise, and he flew slightly faster than before.

            The sun was currently above them, and the air was warm and humid. Sesshōmaru had stated that there would be a storm soon, so Rin soaked up the sunshine while it lasted. She’d already gained a pink tint to her face and legs from the intense rays. Her lord, however, seemed to be unfazed by the temperature change. He was currently flying ahead of them, his mokomoko trailing behind him.

            “That’s the border up ahead,” Jaken said from further back on Ah-Un. In front of them was a small mountain with a rushing river flowing down it. The river sliced the land horizontally before emptying into the distant sea. As they began their descent towards the river, Rin took in the fresh, floral scent that permeated the region.

            Suddenly, a sharp pain blossomed on her neck. “Ouch!” She winced as she gingerly touched the side of her neck. Her hand came back with speckles of blood.

            “What’s wrong, Rin?” Jaken inquired. Once Ah-Un gently landed, the imp carefully pulled back Rin’s raven hair. There was a set of pinprick marks on her neck. His face paled. “You’ve been bitten.”

            Before Rin could ask any questions, Sesshōmaru stood in front of the injured child. Jaken was still holding her hair away from her neck when the daiyōkai bent down and sniffed the wound. It was an odd sensation to feel his hot breath on her delicate neck, and she instinctively tried to squirm away from him. However, a low growl stopped her movements.

            “It’s the same scent as the shikigami,” Sesshōmaru snarled as he stood up. Rin relaxed from her statue posture, the growl hadn’t been intended for her. “Jaken, take Rin and Ah-Un deeper into the region.” His icy words were laced with fury. Sesshōmaru leaped into the air and started to fly back the way they’d came.

            “Milord, where are you going?” Jaken yelled, hoping his beloved lord would hear him.

            “To track down this insolent wench.”     


	8. The Curse of the Dying

            Rin stumbled through the silky grass of the rainforest. Exhaustion consumed her, the world around her seemed to spin and grow darker. She felt herself fall to the ground, her arms using the last of her strength to instinctively break her fall. However, the urges from her abdomen refused to wait a moment longer. Tears streamed down her face as she violently vomited. The acid stung her throat for the forth time that day. A hand held back her hair, but her mind was too foggy to know who it belonged to. Coughs overtook her body as the vomiting subsided.

            “Rin!” A voice called out from the darkness. It sounded familiar yet foreign at the same time. She tried to wade out of the dark waters of her mind, but a migraine pushed her back beneath the surface. Her energy was expended. There was nothing except the cold void. Rin could feel her arms give out beneath her and she fell onto her side. _I’m so tired_ , she thought with the last of her consciousness. The void beckoned her, and she succumbed to its call.

            Tears filled Jaken’s eyes as he held the unconscious body of the child. Her health had spiraled downward the moment Sesshōmaru left yesterday. She’d only suffered a fever and coughs during the night, but when she awoke this morning the series of vomiting began. Now there were speckles of blood mixed in with her stomach contents. A bright, colorful bird chirped a happy tune on a nearby branch.

            “Please get up, Rin!” he croaked, tears falling onto her kosode. As his hand grazed her skin, he stiffened. She was cold. Determination suddenly began coursing through his veins. He couldn’t let her die, not on his watch. The imp dragged her towards Ah-Un, and the yōkai helped him lift her onto his back. They leaned her limp body against Ah-Un’s neck, and Jaken sat close behind her to make sure she didn’t fall off.

            Jaken chewed on his bottom lip as the dragon took to the skies. They’d been so close to their destination when Rin had asked for them to land. He should’ve demanded she wait a few more minutes, but instead he’d let her stumble through the forest. Now he was paying the ultimate price. Now he was clutching her dying body.

***

            When Sesshōmaru sensed the first shikigami and promptly destroyed it, the residual scent of dirt and venom had been faint. He could tell that whoever controlled it wasn’t nearby, and it would’ve been foolish to spend several days tracking them down. He couldn’t leave Rin and Jaken on their own while an unknown enemy pursued them. Now, however, the scent on the second shikigami was much stronger. And the female that controlled it was much closer than before.

            The yōkai bared his teeth as he flew across the night sky. He hadn’t been able to sense the second shikigami, and now Rin was paying the price. However, he had a small amount of faith that Jaken knew where to take her. Of course, that was assuming that the curse hadn’t killed her already. A snarl threatened to be unleashed at the thought of Rin’s lifeless body, but the concentrated smell of dirt and venom briefly quelled it.

            He landed in a thick expanse of bamboo, the calls of nocturnal creatures filled the air. A darkness like fog permeated the area. Though his vision was slightly impaired, he didn’t need sight to sense the wench. In a swift and fluid movement, he drew Bakusaiga and sliced the vegetation in front of him. Electricity rippled through the rainforest, and his sensitive ears heard the sound of the female dodging his attack. He ran a few steps in the direction of where she landed and lunged with his sword. Sparks flew as his blade met the resistance of a spiritual barrier.

            “My, you’re quite feisty,” the woman purred. With the addition of the purple light from her barrier, Sesshōmaru could glimpse the form of his enemy. The wench was knelt on one knee, her hands raised in defense. Black hair cascaded down her face and almost blended in with her kimono. She had dark circles under her eyes from exhaustion, but her lust for life filled her with energy. “I hate to kill you, but your pelt would certainly make the perfect winter kimono.” The dark priestess licked her lips.

            Sesshōmaru raised Bakusaiga from the barrier, but promptly sliced at her horizontally. Yet again, the demonic sword clashed against the barrier. Red flecks began to appear in the yōkai’s golden eyes. The daiyōkai took a few steps back from the kneeling woman, and, using all of his strength, jumped into the air and plunged downward with his sword. A few inches of the sparking blade pierced Yoko’s protective shield, but the barrier wasn’t completely dissipated. Regardless, her blue eyes were filled with shock as she looked up at the silver-haired demon that was hellbent on destroying her. Not only had she underestimated his awareness earlier, but she’d overestimated her own spiritual powers to overcome the demon.

            “No matter,” she murmured, her purple barrier growing weaker with each second. Reaching inside the inner layer of her kimono, she retrieved a small doll. She gently stroked the doll’s face as she held it in her hand and adjusted its black hair and orange kosode.

            “You intend to hurt me with a doll?” Sesshōmaru’s eyes narrowed, several more inches of his sword drawing closer to the dark priestess. The tip of his blade was only a few centimeters from her neck.

            “Your mere presence here tells me that I’ve already hurt you with this doll,” she chuckled. “Someone you hold dear has been hurt, and I’ve struck a nerve by doing so.” Her right hand lifted the doll closer to the edge of the barrier so that the yōkai could see the fine details. The doll’s skin was white and tattered. Maggots swarmed out of the numerous holes in it. Suddenly, it burst into flames in Yoko’s hand. A bloodcurdling scream filled the night as the effigy was consumed by fire.

            “Darn,” her red lips formed into a pout, “it looks like she’s already been dragged to hell.”

            The woman didn’t have a moment to react before her head was severed from her body. The barrier broke with a burst of purple light, and the thick darkness of the rainforest seemed to have been lifted. However, as the first morning rays filtered through the bamboo, Sesshōmaru noticed that no blood stained Bakusaiga or the green understory. The limp body that lay in front of him rapidly decayed until nothing was left except wet clay and a brown figurine. Sesshōmaru lifted the item out of the heap, examining it in his pale hand. It was a demon puppet.

***

            It had been a peaceful night in Yoru village. The stars twinkled above the villagers as they stirred before dawn. Though they were well into spring, the morning air was crisp and some farmers shivered in their thin clothing. The temperature, however, did little to deter them from bringing in their final harvest of daikon. Spirits were high as they plucked the white radish from the earth.

            They’d managed to harvest the majority of their fields by the time that the sun hung high in the sky. It was a beautiful, cloudless day with a gentle sea breeze, and many villagers decided to eat their lunch outside and embrace the warmer weather. Picnic blankets of various colors dotted the green hillside.

            On the tallest hill of the village, there was a woman and an assortment of patients reclining on a green picnic blanket. The woman was clad in the traditional red and white of a priestess. The infirm that surrounded her either had bandages wrapped around various body parts or were recovering from their winter colds.

            “Fresh air is a remedy for all illnesses,” the priestess mused as she handed each person some food. Though some of the older patients had grumbled when she had invited them to sit outside under the ume tree, they were now enjoying the sweet smell of the pink blossoms. The priestess looked out over the valley and the calm sea that was several hundred feet below them. A feeling of peace and content washed over the village.

            “Lady Isoko,” a young girl with a splint on one arm tugged at the priestess’s red hakama.

            Isoko turned and smiled at the girl. She bent down and tucked a strand of dark hair behind the child’s ear like a mother. “What is it, Chiyo?” She gently inquired.

            With her good arm, Chiyo pointed at the sky above the village. “Do you see that?” Her brown eyes were dark with worry. As Lady Isoko looked up, a spec of yellowish-green caught her eye. Though it flew far above the villagers, there was no mistaking what the creature was.

            “A dragon yōkai,” the priestess gasped. “Chiyo, hurry and bring the other patients inside,” she called out as she dashed towards the nearby shrine. Picking up a mallet, she struck the bronze gong that was at the entrance. “Demon!” She cried, her voice carrying across the village. Springing into action, the men grabbed their weapons or farming tools while the women and children rushed inside. Lady Isoko quickly wiped the sweat from her brow before slinging a quiver of arrows and her bow across her back.

            With the resolve of a warrior, the miko rushed back outside. In the short time that she’d hit the gong and retrieved her bow, the creature had descended closer to the village. From its current height, she could now see that it had two heads. Without hesitation, she nocked an arrow and released it. Though she lacked the same amount of spiritual power as the famous priestess Lady Kikyō, her arrow still sparkled with sacred energy. However, as her arrow neared the dragon, a burst of flame destroyed it.

            She gasped in shock and confusion. The yōkai hadn’t opened its mouth to defend itself, it had a rider. As the beast grew closer, she could see two distinct forms on the creature’s back. “Hold your fire!” She cupped her hands together to amplify her voice. “There’s someone on its back,” she added as the confused shouts of villagers reached her. As the dragon yōkai prepared to land in front of the shrine, a familiar voice greeted her.

            “Lady Isoko,” Jaken called, fear and desperation in his voice as Ah-Un finally landed.

            “Jaken, how good to see you again,” the miko replied. However, her eyes widened as she saw the state of the dragon’s other rider. Forgetting pleasantries and dropping her bow, she scooped the cold child into her arms and rushed into the shrine.

            “She’s been cursed by a shikigami,” Jaken explained as he trotted alongside the woman.

            “And she’s on the brink of death,” she added. As they entered the shrine, Isoko laid the girl onto a shikibuton in front of the main altar. Though Isoko usually used this shikibuton for when she’d spend days in the shrine praying, she hoped that the spirits would understand the situation. Standing up, she saw just how pale the girl’s face was. Her cheeks were hollow and her hair was dull. There was a large bowl of purified water along the right wall, and Isoko strode over to it and dipped a cloth into its depths.

            “Put this on her forehead,” the miko instructed. She bent down to place the cloth in Jaken’s hand and gave him a comforting squeeze on his shoulder. The imp was knelt over his travelling companion, tears flowing freely down his cheeks. Wiping his tears with his sleeve, he carefully put the cloth on Rin’s forehead. Heading deeper into the shrine, she said over her shoulder, “I’ve got to grab some herbs and incense from the shrine’s stockroom.”

            “Wouldn’t it be better to look after Rin in your hut?” Jaken weakly called out. The shrine was drafty, and he shuddered as a cool breeze blew in from the entrance.

            “No,” came the response from the back of the structure. As Lady Isoko returned with several jars of herbs and sticks of various incenses, she continued, “This is no ordinary curse. I can sense a demonic aura; the shrine will help me purify her.” The miko laid out the herbs in an orderly fashion, then stood and placed seven sticks of incense on the altar. Using an altar candle, she lit the sticks, murmured a prayer, and then wafted their medicinal scent throughout the shrine. Rin briefly stirred as the smoke slowly drifted over her.

            Lady Isoko’s focused gaze softened and she let out a soft laugh, “So there’s some hope after all.” However, no sooner had the words passed her lips when Rin arched her back and let out a horrifying scream.

            “Rin!” Jaken said through a broken sob. He seized her shoulders in an attempt to stop her thrashing, but howled in pain as his hands were burned upon touching her.

            “The demon that cursed her is fighting back,” Lady Isoko explained as she frantically mixed a bundle of herbs with the purified water to create a tea. Firmly grasping the child’s jaw, she forced her mouth open and poured the cold tea down her throat. Rin coughed and spluttered, but enough of the mixture was swallowed to ease her jerky movements. She lay still and limp against the soft bedding.

            “She’s not cured, it was only a tea to calm her.” The miko said as she saw a flash of hope in Jaken’s yellow eyes. She sighed and prepared a salve for the imp’s hands. “It’s strange,” Isoko thought out loud, “why would the demon want to hurt you?” As she applied the sticky green concoction, a sudden realization occurred to her. She abruptly stood to her feet. “You must leave at once, my friend.”

            “But Lady Isoko—” Jaken was cut off by a ball of white light near the entrance. After a moment, Sesshōmaru appeared.

            Fear filled Lady Isoko’s brown eyes. “Don’t come any closer,” she yelled as she tried to push Jaken away from Rin at the same time. Sesshōmaru took a step forward. “Please, for the child’s sake, don’t take another step!” Her warnings, however, came too late.

            A black mist curled upwards out of Rin’s slack open mouth, giving off small sparks of electricity as it rose. The tea could no longer suppress the curse, and another scream filled the shrine as the mist solidified. Tears streamed down her pale cheeks and her small fists grasped at the bedding beneath her. The mist lunged towards Jaken. In the blink of an eye, Lady Isoko placed a sutra on the creature’s back. It howled in pain and stopped in its tracks, but it seemed to do little damage to the mist.

            “You must leave at once, it wants to absorb your demonic powers!” Lady Isoko said as she placed two more sutras on the creature. The mist was still connected to Rin, and she feared that the child would die if this torture continued. Her screams of pain echoed through the shrine and blood had begun to dribble out of the side of her mouth. “I can’t suppress it if it’s drawn to your demonic energies.”

            Sesshōmaru was still, but his golden eyes observed the situation. He quickly looked between the black mist and the priestess, but finally his eyes settled on the convulsing Rin. For a brief moment, Lady Isoko thought she saw pain in his eyes. Though it had been several years since she’d last seen Sesshōmaru and Jaken, she was shocked that he had just expressed compassion. However, the expression was gone in the blink of an eye. Without a word, the daiyōkai transformed into a ball of light once more and floated out of the shrine. Jaken followed suit and sprinted towards where they’d left Ah-Un in the courtyard. With a mournful cry, the dragon yōkai took to the skies.

            Not wasting a moment, Lady Isoko placed more sutras on the mist. Grabbing an arrow from her extra quiver on the wall, she pierced the creature with a sacred arrow. Either from the onslaught of sutras or the disappearance of demonic energies, the black mist began retreating back into Rin’s body. Coughs racked her small form as the last of it disappeared within her. Cold sweat began pouring down her forehead. However, as Lady Isoko knelt down to prepare another tea, the child’s eyes opened.


	9. Regret

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just so nobody is confused, I want to make it clear that the first section of this chapter is just a different perspective of some of the things that happened in chapter 7.

            “Yes,” Yoko cackled as she held up the hand mirror. In its reflection, her loyal snake shikigami had just sunk its fangs into the girl’s neck. “Yes, inject your curse, my pretty,” she whispered, joyous insanity filling her blue eyes. The silver-haired demon hadn’t been able to detect this shikigami, and now his travelling companion was about to suffer a terrible fate.

            She clutched the hand mirror to her breast as she lay down on the rough surface. Tracks of lava flowed nearby, and the volcanic rock poked against her back. But the dark priestess was far too consumed in her victory to notice. Dark ash filled the air as the volcano rumbled beneath her.

            “I presume it’s going well,” a deep voice said from the center of the magma.

            Yoko turned so that she lay on her stomach and she craned her neck to look at the caldera of the volcano. “Yes,” she replied, “the girl has just been cursed. Now all you have to do is absorb the demonic—”

            A violent quake silenced the priestess. She clutched onto a large piece of pumice to steady herself. The lava that had been trickling down the steep sides suddenly became as wide as a river. A few strands of the molten rock drew dangerously close to Yoko, and she tensed up at the display of power.

            “Who has not fulfilled their side of the bargain?” The deep voice cried. “Who has not given me the sacrifices? Who disrespects the mighty power of Kazan?” Bursts of lightning lit up the red landscape.

            “Please, I’ll get the sacrifices soon. Just go ahead and steal their powers,” Yoko pleaded in between coughs. Her skin was warm from the surrounding volcanic heat, and she feared that soon she’d be burnt to a crisp.

            “Not until you’ve given me three souls,” dark ash shot hundreds of feet into the air as the volcano rumbled. The ash was so thick that it seemed like night had fallen over the hellish land.

            “But they’ll heal the girl before I get the souls, we must do it now or—” Yoko was cut off once more by the furious demon. With an angry cry, hands made of magma emerged from the opening of the volcano. Her mouth dropped as Kazan rose to her full height. The giant yōkai was comprised of magma and fire, and her large yellow eyes bore into the dark priestess. Kazan reached down the slope of the mountain where the cowering human lay surrounded by pools of lava. A single drop of magma fell from her outstretched finger and solidified near the dark priestess’s head. Yoko raised her arms to cover her face as the volcanic rock shattered. Within the center of the black rock was a demon puppet.

            “This will buy you time,” Kazan’s voice suddenly gentler than before. Yoko carefully picked up the puppet and wasted no time casting an evil spell. A devilish smile spread across her face, but it was broken when Kazan added, “However, I’ll need an additional soul as payment.”

            “Are you a demon or a con artist?” Yoko grumbled under her breath, but either Kazan didn’t hear her or she was relishing too much in scamming the dark priestess. But Yoko quickly redirected her focus on casting the spell before the perfect moment was lost. Gazing into her mirror, she quietly cheered as the silver-haired yōkai flew off and took the bait. With the child left alone with the imp, she would easily succumb to the curse and act as the intermediate vessel between Kazan and the powerful daiyōkai.

            A single happy tear streaked down her fair cheek. She wiped it away, but frowned as the hand came back with black ash. She was probably covered in the dark soot, and she sighed at the thought of her beautiful features being marred by Kazan’s previous fury. However, a small smiled danced across her red lips as she thought about how proud her lord was going to be once she returned victorious.

            “Then he’ll make me his wife,” Yoko murmured, tucking the demon puppet and mirror away into the inner lining of her kimono. Brushing her fingers through her silky hair, she began her trek down the side of the volcano.

            “Where are you going?” Kazan inquired as she observed the small human. The demon had elected to lean against the caldera, her anger quelled for the time being.

            “To get your sacrifices,” Yoko called out, not bothering to turn around and address the magma creature. Kazan seem pleased with this answer, and she slowly slipped back into the deep depths of the volcano. With ash no longer being spouted into the sky, rays of sunshine pierced through the artificial darkness. A smile cracked across her face once more. Not too far away from the volcano was a village.

***

            Jaken did his best to quiet Ah-Un’s heartbreaking cries. The dragon yōkai refused to stop calling out for his youngest rider. Melancholy had caused him to fly slower than before, one head always searching the ground below them for a familiar orange kosode.

            “I already told you, we can’t get near Rin for a while,” Jaken sighed as he stroked the dragon’s mane. Mournful yellow eyes stared back at him. “Will you stop looking so pitiful! You’re not the only one that’s hurting around here,” Jaken yelled, waves of emotions washing over him. He could no longer contain his sorrowful anger, and tears began streaming down his face. However, he quickly wiped away the streaming waterfalls. Lord Sesshōmaru would dismiss him immediately if he approached him while bawling his eyes out.

            Though his vision was blurry from the tears, there was an unmistakable patch of white sitting on a cliff that overlooked a lagoon. Jaken tugged on Ah-Un’s reigns to guide him downwards, but the beast hardly needed guidance. Ah-Un knew his master when he saw him.

            A serene breeze blew across the lagoon and rustled the long, silver hair of the meditating yōkai. He sat with his legs crossed and his fists rested in front of his stomach. His breathing was as steady as the waves beneath him. To many, he was the perfect example of a calm and peaceful individual. Jaken, however, knew that his lord was experiencing a world of turmoil inside his mind.

            As Jaken dismounted from Ah-Un, he bit his lip in hesitation. Lord Sesshōmaru wasn’t known for being a kind yōkai, and he would most certainly lash out at Jaken if he approached. But that was just a risk that he’d have to accept. After all, what kind of Chief Minister would he be if he didn’t offer his lord counseling and advice?

            “Milord,” the imp began, standing as tall as possible and neatly folding his arms over his chest. “It’s not your fault that Rin was cursed. Even though you didn’t detect the shikigami in time, you did everything you could to rectify the situation. Of course, that’s not to say that you’re anything less than the greatest tracker in all of Nihon. And I most certainly don’t mean to offend your honor by implying that you’re not capable of protecting Rin…er…” Jaken’s confidence waned as he realized that he’d dug his own grave.

            Sure enough, he received a swift hit against the head. Sesshōmaru let out a deep sigh through his nose as he retracted his hand. “I should have left her in Kaede’s village,” the daiyōkai flatly stated.

            Silence fell between the two of them. Only the grunts of Ah-Un happily munching on grass and the waves below them offered a background noise. Slowly, Jaken stepped forward and sat down beside his lord. They remained still and quiet for several moments, both stuck in their own thoughts as they gazed out at the expansive ocean.

            “Rin knew the dangers of travelling with us,” Jaken finally said. “She’s seen demons before, she’s been captured before, and she’s seen large battles before.” He paused for a moment before whispering, “And yet she still decided to follow you, milord.”

            The descending sun cast an orange glow on the lagoon. Plovers dotted the beach. At the edge of the horizon, a pillar of ash rose into the air. Jaken narrowed his eyes, they’d have to traverse the volcanic region if Lord Sesshōmaru wanted to continue with tradition. The imp was not looking forward to that trip, he already had a hard time trying to not get brunt while visiting Tōtōsai’s forge.

            His train of thought was broken by Lord Sesshōmaru standing up. The daiyōkai strode over to where Ah-Un was grazing. He gently stroked the creature’s neck, and Ah-Un raised his heads in curiosity and affection. Leaves and grasses poked out of the side of his mouth. Sesshōmaru grasped the reins and lead the yōkai over to Jaken.   

            “What are you doing, milord?” Jaken asked, craning his neck to look up at him.

            “Take Ah-Un and fly inland to the rainforest. I’ll return in two sunrises,” the daiyōkai commanded.

            Jaken bowed his head in submission. “But—if I may be so bold to ask—where are you going, milord?” Golden eyes narrowed in annoyance. Jaken cringed in anticipation of another hit against his head. However, he hesitantly opened his eyes when he remained unharmed.

            As their gazes met, Sesshōmaru explained, “I’ve got unfinished business with Lady Isoko.” Jaken’s eyes widened in surprise. His lord rarely used honorifics for demons, much less humans. Sesshōmaru had barely expressed appreciation to the miko even when she healed Jaken of a serious poison a decade ago. However, before Jaken could inquire if it was just a slip of the tongue, the daiyōkai launched himself into the air and flew in the direction of the Rat.

            The imp sighed, he was stuck alone once more with the dragon. As he mounted Ah-Un, it almost felt like old times when it was only the three of them. Now, however, they had a human that could cause their lord to formerly address those beneath him. Jaken began grumbling to himself as the dragon leapt off of the cliff and headed towards the dense rainforest.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: I based Kazan off of the real life volcano Sakurajima. If you're a volcano nerd, you can read more about Sakurajima here: https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/sakurajima.html


	10. Moon Letters

            Lady Isoko’s fingers began to shake. There was a persistent ring of darkness at the edge of her vision. She swayed slightly from exhaustion. Sweat streaked down her grimy face. Her voice was hoarse as she whispered prayers over the young girl.

            There was the soft sound of wood creaking under light footsteps, but the priestess refused to break her concentration. This would be her one hundredth incantation of the prayer, and she could only hope that the kami would finally listen. Lady Isoko sprinkled the bundle of herbs on the small form beneath her. Rin breathed gently as she slumbered, but her nose crinkled at the scent of the purified herbs. Though the curse didn’t completely possess her, it still had a marginal influence on her actions.

            As the priestess reached out to touch Rin’s forehead, the same vision that she’d experienced numerous times in the past few hours rushed into her mind. There was a brief second of a fiery landscape, then it shifted to a woman in a black kimono. Though she was no stranger to the flashing images, her breathing was ragged by the end of it.  

            “Will she be alright?” A shy voice asked from behind Lady Isoko. The miko sighed heavily as she finished the last lines of the prayer and collected herself. She glanced behind her to see the ever curious Chiyo waiting patiently for a response. Her good arm was clasped behind her back in anticipation.

            “How are the other patients?” Lady Isoko croaked; she wasn’t in the mood to talk about her current failures as a healer. The priestess had assigned Chiyo to look after the others since the child already had an extensive knowledge of herbs and remedies. Then again, it’s not hard to pick up on the healing arts when you get injured almost every month.

            “They’re doing wonderful, Lady Isoko,” Chiyo sweetly exclaimed. Pride shone in her young eyes, but a dark shadow suddenly passed over her. “Um…I am having some trouble with Eisei taking his medicine. He says that the day he listens to a child is the day that he dies,” she trailed off, her brows furrowed in concern.

            Lady Isoko faked a warm smile, “Eisei is merely grumpy because of his old age. I’ll come help you in a moment, and I’ll make sure that he knows to treat you with respect in the future.”

            Chiyo bit her lip and lowered her eyes. She nervously tugged at the hem of her kimono. “Lady Isoko,” she refused to meet the priestess’s gaze, “we’re really worried about you.” Tears began to well up at the edge of her chocolate eyes. “You haven’t eaten or slept in two days and…” she choked on her words as the sniffles and sobs overcame her.

            The miko’s knees ached as she rose from her kneeling position, but she hardly noticed the pain as she hugged the crying girl. Chiyo tightly clutched her hips and buried her face in her abdomen. Lady Isoko patted her head reassuringly, then carefully bent down to place a kiss on the mop of dark hair. They embraced long enough for the priestess to finally realize how bad her body was screaming at her. She’d been far too absorbed in prayer and healing Rin to realize that she had a pounding headache and her stomach rumbled loudly. Chiyo’s tears ceased for a moment to giggle at the abdominal vibrations.

            “Please go eat something,” the child smiled up at her. With a final nuzzle, Chiyo broke free from the hug. Striking a confidant pose, she stated, “I can look after her. Go get some rest, Lady Isoko!” The older woman could barely contain a laugh at the child’s display and command. However, shame quickly clouded the priestess’s features.

            “Rin still has a long way to go,” Lady Isoko gently explained while shaking her head, “I can’t possibly leave her now.”

            “But you always tell me that if I want to help those around me, then I need to keep my health up.” Chiyo argued. She made an attempt to cross her arms, but winced when her arm in the splint touched her. “You’re in no state to help her. I’ll make sure that she drinks the sedative tea and I’ll say all the prayers I know.” She said, puffing out her chest.

            The priestess quickly realized that it was pointless to argue with the child. After all, Chiyo was correct that she was almost useless in her current state. It wouldn’t be long before she passed out from exhaustion or hunger, and she couldn’t leave Rin unsupervised and vulnerable. Lady Isoko nodded, and Chiyo’s squeals on delight filled the shrine.

            “I promise I’ll take good care of her!” Chiyo exclaimed, trying to push Lady Isoko out of the shrine with her one good arm.

            “Okay, but I’ll be back in a few hours,” Lady Isoko let the child push her out into the open air. “There’s already a kettle of tea—” But the priestess was cut off by Chiyo slamming the doors of the shrine shut. She sighed in defeat. Though she loved Chiyo like she was a daughter, sometimes the girl was too excitable for her own good. But she could no longer ignore her rumbling stomach or heavy eyes, so Lady Isoko walked off to have lunch with her patients and take a nap.        

***

            Light filtering in from the window above her shikibuton finally awoke Lady Isoko. She rubbed her eyes with the heel of her palm. It had been well past noon when Lady Isoko finished eating rice and umeboshi with the concerned infirm, so it had to be almost dinner time now. With a reluctant groan, the miko stood and smoothed out her red hakama. Her shikibuton called for her to return to its warm embrace, but she knew that she couldn’t sleep all day. After all, she was running low on yellow sage. She would need to collect more before tonight if she wanted to continue purifying Rin.

            Lady Isoko plastered a huge smile on her face as she stepped out of the sleeping area and into the larger sitting area of the hut. Most patients preferred to spend their time in the sitting room playing shogi or grumbling about their illness. It had been an easy spring so far in Yoru village, and there were only a handful of elderly patients still struggling with their winter sicknesses. Chiyo was currently the sole exception.

            “Ah, you’re finally awake,” an old woman stirring a pot said. The room was filled with the heavenly scent of miso soup, and Lady Isoko’s face flushed red as her body voiced how famished it still was. The woman chuckled and there was a playful glint in her wrinkled brown eyes. “Why don’t you join us? You deserve another hearty meal for all of your hard work.”

            “You’re far too kind, Aiko. But I’m afraid that I—” the miko was silenced by Aiko shoving a bowl of miso soup into her hands. She almost spilled the hot contents on her, but Lady Isoko quickly regained her balance and carefully sat down. She lowered her gaze, she didn’t deserve Aiko’s praise. After all, Rin was still suffering from the curse and she was running out of ideas of how to purify her.

            “Your parents would’ve done better by naming you Buru,” Eisei grumbled, shooting a glare at Aiko. He was sitting in the corner playing shogi with another old man.

            “Eisei, you should treat Aiko with more respect,” Lady Isoko scolded. “She simply wanted to make sure that I stay healthy.” Eisei bore holes through the miko, but she ignored his hard gaze and turned to face Aiko. “Thank you, obaasan.” The older woman waved a dismissive hand before filling more bowls with miso soup for the others.

            “I’ve also heard through the grapevine that you haven’t been taking your medicine, Eisei.” Lady Isoko continued her lecture after finishing the delicious soup.

            Eisei snorted, “You expect me to take orders from a child?”

            “They’re not her orders, they’re mine. Chiyo is acting as my messenger and helper, and I expect you to heed my words. You’ve rarely given me difficulty, so I’m shocked at your disrespectful behavior towards Aiko and Chiyo.” She kept her voice steady, but it was hard to miss the furious undertones. Eisei bowed his head, and she could only hope that meant he would take her words to heart. With her hunger and mind satisfied, Lady Isoko stood up, bowed to her patients, and grabbed a small basket before exiting the hut.

            It was a mild day and she enjoyed the warm rays against her skin. There were few clouds in the sky, but there was a dark storm further out at sea that was slowly drifting towards the village. It would be a rainy night, and the newly planted crops desperately needed the celestial hydration. Lady Isoko muttered a few quick prayers that they’d have another bountiful harvest as she strode down the steps of the shrine. Several villagers called out greetings as she passed by, and she politely smiled and offered blessings for the upcoming summer. After traveling across the numerous hills that comprised Yoru village, she finally reached her destination.

            At the edge of the village was a thin forest that was home to Lady Isoko’s herb garden. The soil by the shrine was far too rocky for most herbs, so she’d elected to maintain a simple garden were the soil was finer. In fact, this was were she’d found a certain imp a decade ago eating all of her herbs in a panic to save his life. A small, genuine smile spread across her face as she bent down to collect her leafy children. She plucked leaves of yellow sage and various other herbs, gradually filling her basket.

            By the time that the daylight was fading, she’d collected enough herbs for tonight’s purification rituals. Lady Isoko prayed that it would finally be enough to break the curse. Her knees didn’t ache nearly as bad as earlier when she stood up from the small garden. However, as she turned around, she dropped the basket and her mouth opened in an attempt to scream. A cold hand covered her mouth before any sound could escape.

            As the initial shock wore off, recognition dawned on Lady Isoko. She knew only one yōkai that had magenta stripes and a blue crescent moon. The silver-haired demon dropped his head, confident that the priestess wouldn’t scream.

            “Lord Sesshōmaru, I didn’t hear you approach. You startled me,” Lady Isoko said while bending down to grab the basket of herbs.

            “How’s Rin?” The daiyōkai inquired, skipping an apology or any pleasantries. His hands were clasped behind his back. His golden eyes were narrowed.

            Lady Isoko swallowed a lump in her throat before admitting, “I haven’t been able to break the curse.” As red started to bleed into the golden eyes, she hastily added, “I assure you that I’ve performed every purification ritual known to both Shintoism and Buddhism. I can only suppress the curse to where it’s nearly invisible, but the mist would instantly react if it came into contact with a strong demonic aura.” The miko took a deep breath. “I believe that the only way to break this curse is to destroy the one who created it. I’ve had…visions while healing Rin,” she explained.

            Sesshōmaru raised an eyebrow in curiosity. The majority of the red had faded back to golden, and Lady Isoko was confidant she wasn’t about to be eviscerated anymore.

            “First, I see a land covered in fire and craggy rocks. Then there’s a woman with a black kimono. I hear her whispering words, but I can’t make them out. And then the vision is over. The vision is consistently the same, so perhaps it contains clues as to who created the curse.”  

            Sesshōmaru could barely suppress a growl. Though Lady Isoko didn’t explicitly state it, he could sense that the dark priestess was at the center of all of this. The insolent wench would pay with her life. He silently inclined his head towards Lady Isoko as thanks for the information. The daiyōkai dropped his hands from behind his back to reveal the package that he’d been hiding. It was wrapped in white silk with embroidered purple blossoms. “For Rin,” he said, extending the package to Lady Isoko.

            She adjusted the basket to sit on her hip as she took the gift from the clawed hand. The material felt wonderful, and she heard the contents jostle slightly as she examined it. However, when she lifted her head to thank the daiyōkai, he’d already vanished into the night.

***

            Chiyo had tried her hardest to keep her promise to Lady Isoko. She’d given a small portion of the sedative tea to Rin every hour and she said every prayer that she knew. Regardless that half of her prayers were for fair weather and a good harvest, Chiyo had faith that the spirits would heal the girl beneath her. Lady Isoko had outlined Rin in purified salt, and she sprinkled some more over her for good measure. The girl mimicked how she’d seen the miko mutter prayers while showering her in a handful of herbs. However, as much as she wanted to prove herself to Lady Isoko, she had the attention span of a koi fish.

            Chiyo had missed giving Rin the sedative tea two hours in a row, and she was playing with a ball deeper in the shrine when a set of brown eyes opened. Rin rubbed her head as she slowly sat up, herbs and salt falling off of her. However, as she rubbed the remnants of sleep out of her eyes, her heart began frantically beating. The last thing she remembered was falling in the rainforest; how did she end up in a shrine?

            Rin heard the brief sound of soft thuds before the red ball came into view. The pitter-patter of feet followed the toy, and a girl in a pink kimono with a splint rushed through the main area of the shrine to catch it. The new girl giggled as she picked up the object, but froze when she noticed that Rin had sat up.

            Fear filled the stranger’s chocolate brown eyes. She lunged towards Rin, her splinted hand scooping up the cup of cool tea while the other grabbed her throat. Rin fell from the momentum and hit her head hard against the dark brown floors of the shrine. The small hand on her throat snaked its way up to her jaw, and the young girl forced her fingers into Rin’s mouth. Rin resisted the attempts to pry her mouth open, and she bit down on the newcomer’s appendages. The girl shrieked in pain and dropped the teacup. Cold tea spilled over Rin’s face and kosode, the teacup left a mark on her cheek from where it’d landed. The tea stung her eyes. She could barely breathe between the overwhelming scent of herbs and the hand that had returned to her neck.   

            However, the dueling pair stiffened at the sound of the shrine doors opening. Both girls slowly turned their gaze to the entrance. Before them stood a surprised priestess with black hair rippling down her back and green eyes. The older woman held a package in one hand and a basket of herbs in the other.

            The girl in the kimono was the first to react. “Lady Isoko,” she said with a small bow, “she woke up and I panicked. I’m sorry—” But the miko raised a hand to silence the child.

            “Don’t apologize to me,” irritation burned in her green eyes. “Apologize to our guest that you strangled.” The young girl sheepishly turned back to Rin and murmured an apology. The priestess’s gaze was still hardened. “Do it properly, Chiyo.” With a quiet groan, Chiyo bowed deeply to Rin and uttered a louder apology than before. The green eyes softened slightly, and Lady Isoko bowed her head to signal that the young girl could take her leave. Without a word, Chiyo picked up her red ball and huffed out of the shrine.

           “Please forgive her rude behavior,” Lady Isoko gently said as she knelt before the cursed girl. The miko used a cloth to wipe off the remnants of the tea and herbs on her face. Her long fingers grazed over Rin’s throat, and she sighed in relief. It seemed like Chiyo hadn’t done much physical damage, but the miko could only imagine how psychologically scarred the girl was. “Allow me to introduce myself, I am Lady Isoko. I’m the priestess of this shrine,” she tucked a strand of loose hair behind Rin’s ear.

            Rin flinched at the physical contact. “Where’s Lord Sesshōmaru and Master Jaken?” Her voice was still shaky from the assault, but her chocolate eyes were fierce.

            Lady Isoko smiled brightly before explaining, “I’m a friend of Jaken and Lord Sesshōmaru. Jaken brought you here when…” The priestess trailed off for a moment, unsure whether to reveal the whole truth. However, Rin’s stern and curious expression told her that anything less than the truth wouldn’t appease the child. Her smile shifted into a serious frown. “A demon has placed a curse on you, Rin.”

            Her chocolate eyes widened in shock. Rin could feel her lungs collapsing at the revelation, icy air strangling her. She drew her knees up and tightly hugged them. Her gasps were short and low, panic settling into every fiber of her being. She’d learned from Kagome how serious demonic curses could be, they could utterly ruin your life and tear you from the ones you deeply care about. _This can’t be happening_ , Rin’s mind races.

            Suddenly, she was enveloped in a warm embrace. This time, she didn't resist the physical contact. Soft arms wrapped around her compressed form, and she could faintly hear the gentle whispers of the woman above her. At first, Rin couldn't make out what she was saying, but she soon realized that the priestess was muttering “I’m so sorry,” over and over again. Cold, wet drops fell onto the child’s black hair.

            “I’ve done everything to try and break the curse,” the miko sobbed. She’d bottled up her frustrations and disappointments over the past few days, and now her poor patient had to experience the floodgates bursting open. Hesitantly, Rin placed a hand on Lady Isoko’s arm. The reassuring gesture grounded the priestess long enough for her to continue, “The only way to break the curse is by defeating the demon who created it. Lord Sesshōmaru and Jaken have gone to destroy whatever foul creature targeted you.”

            The priestess was the first to pull away from the hug. She wiped the tears that still lingered on her cheeks before reaching for the package that she’d brought in. “That reminds me,” she hummed, the storm clouds slowly rolling away. “Lord Sesshōmaru said this was for you.” Lady Isoko extended the silk-wrapped gift towards Rin, a gentle smile returning to her face.

            Up close, Rin could see the fine details of the cloth. Beautiful purple blossoms sprouted across the fabric, and she gasped at how soft the material was. _Why did Lord Sesshōmaru use an expensive wrapping material?_ She thought to herself. Her eyes narrowed in confusion as she turned the gift over in her hands. It was in the shape of a box, and she could hear the tinkling of the contents rolling around inside. Curiosity finally consumed her, and she fervently began to work at the knot that held the fabric together. Lady Isoko chuckled at the child’s enthusiasm, the previous events forgotten for the time being.

            As the silk fell away, it exposed a black, wooden box. It was engraved with a floral design similar to the wrapping material. Rin traced her fingers over the design, and her eyes widened as she carefully tugged off the top. Inside were two brushes, a black inkstick, an inkstone, and several sheets of rice paper. It was a calligraphy set.

            Rin couldn’t contain her excitement. She squealed in delight as she took the brushes and paper out of the box, gently rubbing them between her fingers. Even Lady Isoko seemed impressed by the gift, but her green eyes caught sight of something that Rin hadn’t noticed. Nestled near the bottom of the box was a folded-up piece of rice paper sealed with a wax emblem of a sakura. The priestess dipped her hand into the container and carefully pulled the letter out.

The priestess offered a knowing smile as she placed the letter in Rin’s lap. Stretching and yawning, Lady Isoko stood up and hoisted the basket onto her hip once more. “I have to hang these herbs to dry, but let me know if you need anything,” She squeezed Rin’s hand before disappearing into the deeper parts of the shrine.

            Rin broke the seal on the letter the moment the miko’s footsteps had faded. She instantly recognized the elegant handwriting of her lord.

_Rin,_

_The rainy season is rapidly approaching. May your health be restored before then. There’s important business in the south that I must attend to. Lady Isoko will care for you until Jaken and I return. Until then, place a letter in the branches of the ume tree near the shrine at each crescent moon. You’ll receive a reply by the full and new moon, respectively. Add water to the inkstone and grind the inkstick against it to form your ink. Ask Lady Isoko about any kanji you don’t know._

_Sincerely,_

_Lord Sesshōmaru_

            Though Rin was excited to receive the calligraphy set and a letter from her lord, she couldn’t help but feel her heart drop. Lord Sesshōmaru didn’t intend to visit her anytime soon, he’d abandoned her here with a strange woman in a strange village. However, she quickly shook her head to rid herself of the thought. The ‘business in the south’ could only mean that he would face the demon that hurt her. With how powerful the daiyōkai was, he’d be gone for no more than a few weeks. Rin would probably get to write only one or two letters before he returned victorious and they could continue on their journey again.

However, the seed of doubt that’d been planted in her heart several months ago grew new foliage. Why hadn’t her lord taken her with him? She knew that it was a dangerous mission, but she could at least travel with Ah-Un like she’d done in the past. _You’ve been tainted by the curse, no one wants you,_ a dark voice bubbled inside of Rin. Her nostrils flared in irritation at the voice, surely that couldn’t be the reason Lord Sesshōmaru left her at the shrine. Though the only way to find out the daiyōkai’s true intentions was to simply ask him.

            “What’s today’s date?” Rin asked as Lady Isoko returned from hanging up the herbs.

            “It’s the sixteenth sunrise of the fifth moon. There’s a new moon tonight,” the miko said.

            Rin’s eyes lit up with surprise. “It’s my birthday,” she murmured as she absentmindedly fingered the rice paper.

            Lady Isoko pursed her lips, “I’m sorry, Rin. If I’d known sooner, we could’ve done something special. Would you be alright if we have a slightly belated birthday dinner tomorrow night?” Rin quietly nodded. “May I ask how old you are?” The priestess asked as she strode towards the entrance of the shrine. A light rain had begun to fall, and she needed to make sure that Chiyo was with the other patients before night set in.

            “Ten,” was the curt response. Though Rin didn’t intend to be rude towards the woman who’d shown her compassion, her mind was still running through the various reasons why her lord might’ve left her. The priestess didn’t offer a verbal response, merely a simple nod before heading out into the rain. Rin sighed and stood up. She poured a small amount of water from the basin against the wall into the inkstone. Then she rubbed the inkstick against the stone. A dark black ink slowly formed in the swirling depths. At first, she wasn’t sure how to hold the brushes, and she had to resort to gripping them like the sticks that she once used during Lord Sesshōmaru’s writing lessons. With her supplies laid out, she took a deep breath as she wrote the first lines of her letter.


	11. A Friend Among Foes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't lying when I tagged this story as being a slow build. I appreciate everyone that's strapped in for the long haul

            Murmurs weren’t anything new to Rin. She was used to being the center of the village gossip and people carrying out their twisted forms of justice. She’d been kicked and beaten, teased and humiliated. Her skin became thicker over the years, and she rarely tried to verbally defend herself. However, this no longer just concerned her.

            By the time that Rin awoke from Chiyo’s carelessness, the villagers were already whispering about the cursed girl that was in the shrine. Rin could feel their curious eyes flicker over her when Lady Isoko had said that she was well enough to explore the village. The miko held her small hand as they strode down the dirt paths and always gave a comforting squeeze when someone would stare for too long.

            “And this is the Higoshi residence. Sute makes the most wonderful onigiri,” Lady Isoko said while pointing to the couple that stood in front of the doorway of their hut. It was obvious to Rin that they were farmers, dirt was speckled across their face and their arms were tan from the sun. The woman, Sute, had her dark hair pulled back in a bun while her husband wore a wide-brimmed hat. Rin offered a polite wave, but it did little to change their scowls.

            “Why don’t you send that demon back where it belongs, Isoko?” The man spat. Rage swirled in his brown eyes; his fists were clenched.

            “Rin is not a demon,” the miko’s voice was steady and she offered a pleasant smile to the couple. Her hand briefly ruffled the child’s hair before continuing, “Rin is a human like you and me, fate has merely been unkind to her.”

            Sute let out a scornful laugh, “I’d wager my soul that she’s a demon in disguise. Watch your back, priestess.” The door slammed shut, leaving the pair alone in the streets once more.

            “How rude,” Lady Isoko muttered, a frown marring her smooth face. Rin remained silent, but she was unphased by the couple’s snarls.

            She squeezed the older woman’s hand and smiled up into her troubled green eyes, “What’s over there by the edge of the forest?”

            “That’s my herb garden,” the frown slowly disappeared. It was difficult to focus on the hardened stares from the villagers when there was an ever-curious child skipping alongside her. Though Rin had gone through a lot recently, she was still a ray of sunshine among storm clouds. As the duo approached the small garden, the child bent down to examine the plants. The one before her had large, heart-shaped leaves and purple burrs. She tilted her head in confusion like a dog. While she wasn’t a stranger to foraging, she’d never seen this leafy creature before.

            “That’s burdock,” Lady Isoko explained, “it’s used for purifying blood and reducing fevers.” Rin reached out to touch the burdock plant, but quickly retracted her hand when the thorny burr easily pierced her skin. A bubbling brook laughed at her foolish curiosity. “Oh dear, are you alright?” The miko bent down to examine Rin’s finger. There was a single droplet of blood, but otherwise Rin was unharmed. She placed a small kiss on the wound before instructing, “Don’t touch the burrs again, they can latch onto your skin if you’re not careful.”

            “I promise not to touch the burrs,” Rin placed a hand over her heart to emphasize her statement. Lady Isoko smiled at her innocence.

            The herb garden was the last stop on their tour of Yoru village. Though the village overlooked the ocean, steep cliffs prohibited many from descending to the shore. They hadn’t explored the numerous fields of crops either since most villagers had stopped their laboring for lunch. Rin lifted her head to look at the shrine that towered over the village. It had quickly become her sanctuary, the only place where scornful eyes didn’t envision her demise. She didn’t wish any ill will on the villagers, she knew they were just scared of her. And, if Rin was being honest, she was scared of herself too.

            _They’re weak, we can make you stronger,_ the dark voice inside her hissed. Though it was faint, the voice maintained a permanent residence in her conscious. Rin shook her head in an attempt to dislodge the tenant. But it wouldn’t be dissuaded that easily. _Sesshōmaru would kill these people if he knew how they treated you. Get your revenge on them!_ The darkness demanded.

            _That’s Lord Sesshōmaru to you_ , Rin defiantly thought. The mysterious voice fell silent. Regardless of if she had a direct influence on subduing it, a small smile spread across her face. She refused to be bested by the darkness. However, she was snapped out of her thoughts by a hand on her shoulder.

            “Come, Aiko promised to make you takoyaki for your belated birthday,” Lady Isoko hummed. Rin nodded, and the duo made their way back towards the shrine.

***

            A few days later, the anticipated crescent moon slowly rose over the horizon. Rin still slept in the shrine as ordered by Lady Isoko, but the priestess didn’t always spend the night with her. Tonight was one of those nights where she found herself alone in the drafty shrine. She’d feigned sleep when the miko had checked on her a few hours ago, but now she lay awake on her shikibuton. She patiently waited for the stars and moon to rise.

            When she could finally see the moon peaking through the window of the shrine, Rin tossed the covers off of her and clutched the letter to her chest. Summer was only a moment away, and the night breeze was warm against her face as she stepped out of the shrine. Crickets chirped in the nearby bushes.

            She sighed as the cool grass tickled her feet. There was no need for stealth, the loud snores from the hut told her that everyone was asleep. Regardless, Rin padded as quietly as possible to the ume tree. It wasn’t a particularly tall tree, but it had hundreds of blossoms. Rin grabbed the trunk with one hand and hoisted herself onto the lowest branch. Sesshōmaru hadn’t instructed where to place it on the tree, but she assumed that she’d have to place it in one of the higher branches. The branches creaked beneath her, but didn’t snap under her weight. It was easy to navigate the woody maze, and soon Rin was almost to the top of the ume tree. Holding onto a branch for support, she nestled her letter in a crook near the trunk.

            With her letter secured, she carefully descended the stoic letter-carrier. Her feet found the grass again with little issues. She dusted off a few blossoms that had fallen onto her shoulder before walking back towards the shrine. Her heart yearned to sit underneath the ume tree and wait for her lord, but something in her gut told her that it was an unwise decision. However, as she passed by the shrine steps, something caught her eye.

            From the massive vantage point, Rin could look out over the entire village. She could see everything from the distant sea foam as waves crashed against the rocks to a stray dog wandering through the streets. And, at the edge of a village, Rin swore she could see a little girl. The girl wore a yellow kimono that shone like a star in the darkness. As their gazes locked, the stranger waved. Rin waved back, but she didn’t remember ever seeing a girl like that while touring with Lady Isoko. _Perhaps she’s a daughter of a merchant_ , Rin thought as tiredness tugged her feet away from the shrine steps and into the holy place.

            Though Rin had assumed that she was the only one awake on the shrine hill, she’d failed to see a face watching her through the window of the hut. Eisei squinted his eyes when the cursed child had climbed the tree and placed something in its boughs. He muttered under his breath, he was one of the many villagers that’d developed a bitterness towards the child. He was about to return to his shikibuton, but movement caught his eye. The shadow darted into the branches of the tree and grabbed whatever the girl had nestled away. Before Eisei could even blink, the shadow disappeared back into the night. There was no doubt in Eisei’s mind about what that creature had been.

***

            Rin had gotten her first black eye in a year only a few days later. It hadn’t taken long for the stories of her conspiring with a demon to spread like wildfire. What had once been distrust turned into bitter hatred.

            “Are you trying to kill us all?” A group of boys asked as the kicked her. Rin didn’t have enough air in her lungs to even attempt a reply. Though many respected Lady Isoko, they’d begun to resent the priestess for helping the cursed girl. Rin had heard several adults pleading with the miko to banish the child before misfortune fell on Yoru village.

            “Maybe you’re that demon’s sex slave,” an older man hissed as he’d held Rin by her hair. Hot tears had fallen down her face, despair finally sinking into her bones. It had been easy to ignore glares, but now these people insulted her lord. Her entire being shook when children hit her or adults ridiculed her. She couldn’t block their words out with a mental wall like she’d done a year ago. Their yells followed her into her dreams and she frequently awoke with nightmares of the villagers killing Lord Sesshōmaru. Though she knew that the powerful daiyōkai would never fall to a human, she still woke up in a cold sweat with fear grasping her heart.

            A year ago, she’d been mute from the bandit attack that took her family’s life. Now, she dealt with trauma by transforming into a creature of the night. Rin would enter into restless sleep at dawn and wake up in the afternoon. At first, Lady Isoko had resisted the dramatic change in her sleeping schedule. She’d dragged Rin out of her shikibuton at daybreak several times, but eventually stopped when she saw the countless bruises that covered her small body. The nighttime was the safest time for Rin, and Lady Isoko even gave her blessing in the form of some candles to burn while writing at night.

            However, the price for the security of darkness was loneliness. While Rin could talk and laugh with Lady Isoko and Aiko during the evening, the majority of the night was spent by herself. Originally, she’d taken the quiet time to practice writing, but it only took a few nights for her to become bored by the silence. Her second plan was to steal Chiyo’s ball during the evening and return it by the morning. But, yet again, it was boring to not have anyone to talk to or play with. So, on lonely nights, Rin roamed the streets of Yoru village.

            Rin rarely had a plan whenever she walked through the village, merely going wherever her feet took her. However, she’d overheard Lady Isoko mutter about how she was running low on burdock root, and Rin was determined to prove herself to the miko. The stress of the village gossip had worn down the poor woman’s nerves, and it was the least that she could do to repay her for her kindness.

            The dirt beneath her toes was still wet from the rain that morning. With summer approaching, the rainy season was only a moment away. A symphony of snores and whispered sweet-nothings was the music that swirled through the village that night. The crashing waves provided a steady heartbeat that Rin matched with her feet. The first quarter moon provided enough light for her to avoid the ruts and puddles in the road.

            The night shrouded her as she reached the edge of the forest. Rin placed the basket on the ground as she knelt down in front of the leafy ensemble. She gently pulled back the burdock’s large leaves, and, heeding Lady Isoko’s words, did her best to avoid the pointy burrs. Pale fingers dug into the soil seeking the buried medicinal treasure. The white roots stood out against the dark soil, and Rin gritted her teeth as she tugged at them with all her might. With a gasp, the first root broke away from the plant and she fell backwards from the momentum. A laugh escaped from her, and soon the forest was filled with her cheers as root after root was placed in the basket.

            “What are you doing?” A quiet voice asked from behind her. Instantly, Rin felt like her lungs were on fire. Each breath seared her insides, and her jaw dropped to let out a painful cry. Tears cascaded down her cheeks as she covered her face.

             In a yellow blur of motion, the stranger grabbed one of the burdock roots from the basket and broke off a chunk. Small hands gripped Rin’s mandible, but her wails only increased in volume. The simple physical contact felt like it was melting her flesh, and she attempted to rip her head away from the stranger’s clutches. However, the vice held her in place and forced the burdock root down her throat. Rin choked on the herb, but swallowed enough to push down the black mist that had begun to seep out of her mouth. The child coughed and spluttered for several minutes, her shoulders shaking furiously. Eventually, her breathing evened-out once more, and she wiped the tears from her eyes.

             Before her knelt the young girl in a yellow kimono that she’d seen a few nights ago. Up close, Rin could see that the yellow kimono had pink butterflies fluttering across the fabric. The girl had short, raven hair and tanned skin. Quizzical dark eyes stared at Rin.

             “Who’s there?” A bellowing voice broke the silence. The flicker of torches lit up the clearing. In the blink of an eye, the girl grabbed Rin’s hand and pulled her to her feet. Without warning, she bounded into the depths of the forest with Rin and the basket in tow. In the now vacant clearing, a group of village men held their torches low to the ground. Rin and the stranger, however, had managed to duck away before being seen or heard.

             The girl led Rin through brush and vines, always sticking near the brook that flowed through the forest. Grass turned into sand, and sand became jagged rocks that left little cuts on Rin’s feet. The trees thinned out around them as they entered the rocky landscape, and soon Rin felt a salty sea breeze blowing against her face. As the brook reached the cliff, it cascaded downwards as a waterfall before joining with the rough sea hundreds of feet below them. The stranger slightly loosened her grip on Rin’s hand, but still gently guided her towards a collection of large stones. The rocks were smooth from being weathered by the wind and rain. Though her feet were no longer being cut, a trail of small, bloody footprints followed behind Rin.

             As Rin sat down on a wide, flat stone, she closed her eyes and breathed in the sea air. It had been months since the last time she’d been this close to the ocean, and the salty breeze grounded her as she collected her thoughts. “Who are you?” She finally asked, opening her eyes halfway to observe the young girl.

            “My name is Higoshi Haia,” the girl beamed like a star. Haia sat on a stone across from Rin, swinging her legs. Under the glow of the moon, she looked almost ethereal. Though the girl had so far been kind to her, she couldn’t help but feel caution rising up inside her.

            “Are you a kami?” Rin asked hesitantly. Her shoulders tensed up as Haia regarded her for a moment before filling the night with an exuberant laugh. The girl clutched her sides as laughter racked her body.

            “No,” she managed to gasp out, “I’m not a kami, silly.” Rin’s cheeks burned with embarrassment.

            “Wait,” Rin stared at the shaking girl, “your mother is Sute?” Haia was practically rolling on the stony floor, and she only nodded since her breath was taken up by laughter. Rin’s brows furrowed, her question hadn’t been humorous in the slightest. Though she had indulged herself in childish laughter many times, it was clear to Rin that Haia lacked any level of maturity. She cleared her throat before continuing, “Lady Isoko didn’t point you out when we toured the village last week.”

            Silence suddenly swept across the cliffside. Haia straightened up from where she’d been curled over and smoothed out her yellow kimono. “I’m a child of the night like you,” was the explanation she offered. Bitterness bled into her dark eyes, and she quietly snarled, “But there’s lots of other things Isoko doesn’t point out.”

            Rin narrowed her eyes, a scowl forming on her youthful face. “Why do you disrespect her? She’s been nothing but kind to me.”

            Haia shifted her gaze to look out over the ocean. “A long time ago, she didn’t stop someone from hurting me,” the child murmured. “However,” dark eyes met chocolate ones, “I won’t let her deceive and hurt you too.”

            “A long time ago? But you can’t be a day past nine years old,” Rin stated.

            “My dear,” a soft smile danced across Haia’s lips, “I’m older than I look.”

            Rin shot up from where she sat on the flat stone. “I don’t care how old you are,” she stomped her foot, “I’m going back to the village.” With that, Rin turned on her heel and followed the red footprints towards the brook. Haia didn’t protest or try to stop her.

            However, when Rin reached the edge of the forest, Haia called out, “Did she tell you that you’ll die if a demon gets close to you? Did she tell you that’s the reason that demon won’t be coming back for you?”

            Rin stopped walking for a moment, “Lady Isoko would’ve told me such an important detail. But thank you for saving me from the villagers.” Without another word to the strange girl, her feet carried her alongside the brook and back to the village. As she carried the basket of burdock under her arm, the moon slowly gave way to the sun. Bright oranges and pinks lit up the dark sky, and she could hear the distant sound of farmers tending to their animals.

            Haia sat alone among her stony court, the sun forming a halo around her raven hair. And, if Rin had looked over her shoulder, she would’ve seen the girl disappear in a puff of dust.

***

_Rin,_

_Summer has finally arrived to Nihon. The place where I travel is covered with lakes of fire and clouds of ash, an unfitting landscape for a ningen. However, I’m disappointed that Lady Isoko didn’t thoroughly explain your predicament. You will die if a demon or evil spirit comes near you. The shrine will protect you from lesser demons, but be ever on your guard, Rin. Even the sweetest smile can hold malice._

_Sincerely,_

_Lord Sesshōmaru_

_Tsuishin: Jaken requests that you don’t use purified water to write your letters. He burnt his hands on the last one._


	12. Shadows of the Past

           A month of forced silence had passed. Lord Sesshōmaru’s letter confirmed everything that Haia had said: Lady Isoko had withheld important details about the curse. And, ever since reading the letter, Rin refused to speak to the miko. Rin’s hands formed into fists, hatred coursing through her veins. She didn’t entertain the thought that perhaps Lady Isoko had forgotten to tell her or that this might be a misunderstanding. As far as she was concerned, Lady Isoko had betrayed her trust. In Rin’s eyes, she was no better than the villagers that terrorized her.

            It wasn’t hard to avoid the priestess. Since Rin usually woke up in time for dinner, she only had to suffer through a few hours of Lady Isoko pestering her. Once the miko was asleep, Rin ruled the night alongside Haia. Every day at dusk, Rin would wait near Lady Isoko’s herb garden for the girl to appear out of the forest. She’d spent several weeks playing and laughing with Haia, each day bringing more joy than the last. However, though she was thankful for her new friend, the girl had some strange characteristics.

            “Haia,” Rin had said as the duo sat atop the cliff, “how come you always wear the same yellow kimono?”

            The younger girl sat beside Rin, their feet dangling over the edge. Her lips turned downward, and she sighed heavily before admitting, “It’s the only kimono I have.” Silence fell over the pair, and Rin’s heart ached with sympathy for her friend.

            “Aiko said that she was making me a kimono, I could give it to you instead,” she offered.

            Haia immediately shook her head, “No, you need it more than I do.” A smile softened the child’s features, “Besides, you don’t have a single kimono.” Rin blushed at the statement. Though she loved her orange kosode, living in the village had caused jealousy to grow within her every time she saw a young girl in a beautiful kimono. Of course, Lord Sesshōmaru didn’t mind what clothes she wore so long as they were fit for travelling. But with Jaken and him gone for an undetermined amount of time, she couldn’t help but feel a twinge of embarrassment that she didn’t have as beautiful clothing as the other girls. With each passing day that he didn’t return, her jealousy and embarrassment only grew. Thankfully Aiko—the only other villager that Rin liked—had offered to make a kimono when she’d lamented her feelings to the old woman.

            However, Haia wearing the same kimono wasn’t the only thing that perplexed Rin. After their first encounter, Rin always ate some burdock root before dusk. Haia had never explained why her lungs would burn in the presence of her, and she would avoid the question no matter how many times Rin asked her. Another question that Haia actively evaded was why Rin couldn’t visit her during the last two sunsets of the week. The first time that it’d happened, Rin had simply assumed that Haia had forgotten about her and she had tended to the herb garden instead of playing with her friend. When she’d confronted the girl the next week, Haia acted oblivious.

            “I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Haia had shouted yesterday when Rin had questioned her yet again. Her childish tantrum echoed against the rocky landscape, and Rin was certain that she would wake the whole village. “There’s only five sunrises in a week, not seven!” Shock and confusion passed over Rin’s face. All of Nihon used the seven-sunrise system, yet Haia acted as if Rin had told her that inoshishi could fly.

            Today was the sixth sunrise of the week, and Rin was determined to finally get an answer from her friend. During the past month of playing and sharing stories, Haia had told countless tales about how wonderful her parents were. Being the only child, there wasn’t a shortage of tales about Sute teaching her how to cook, helping her father in the fields, or being enveloped by their warm blanket of love. A pang of sadness overcame Rin as her feet led her to the Higoshi residence, the setting sun casting a pink glow over the village. She dearly missed her fallen family, and some nights the fond memories weren’t enough to keep out the sorrow. With her new family on an adventure without her, the lonely nights without the company of Haia were usually filled with tears.

            Moisture began to collect at the edges of her eyes, but she quickly wiped them away as she stood in front of the hut. A few villagers in the street glared at her, but ultimately let her be. Rin took a deep breath to bury the sadness deep within her and calm her nerves. She quickly prayed to the kami that Haia had swayed her parent’s opinion of her since becoming her friend. Her small hand knocked three times on the wood of the door.

            When the door opened to reveal the thin form of Sute, Rin offered her the biggest, warmest smile she could manage. Wrinkled, dark eyes narrowed at the sight of the child. “What do you want?” She hissed.

            _So Haia hasn’t been talking about me,_ Rin thought to herself, a brief wave of disappointment washing over her. However, she wouldn’t be dissuaded that easily from learning where her friend spent these days apart. “I was wondering if Haia could play this evening,” Rin explained, her hands clasped behind her back. When the silence dragged on for an uncomfortable amount of time, she added, “Please, Higoshi-san, Haia and I are good friends and—”

            Tanned fingers snaked around Rin’s throat and constricted her airflow. Shock rushed through her small body, but self-preservation quickly kicked in as she clawed at Sute’s arm. The woman, however, didn’t loosen her grip on the child’s throat. With the strength of an ox, she raised Rin up until she dangled several feet in the air. A furious storm raged in the older woman’s eyes when she slammed Rin’s body into the ground. The cursed girl skidded a few inches in the dirt before laying still, all air knocked out of her lungs. Darkness flickered at the edge of her vision. However, she had just enough consciousness to make out the form of Sute standing over her.

            At first, Rin’s ringing ears couldn’t hear what the woman was saying. Though Sute’s large, angry hand motions clearly expressed her unheard tone. “—insolent demon fodder. Where did you learn the name ‘Haia’?” Her alto voice snarled as she grabbed Rin by the neckline of her kosode. When the child could only blearily blink at her, Sute released her with a frustrated growl. A guttural noise was Rin’s only warning as the woman kicked her in the ribs and then spat on her limp body. Sute fading out of her line of vision and the loud sound of the door slamming shut was Rin’s indication that things were finally safe. With a grunt of pain, she slowly rose to her feet and headed back towards the shrine.

***

            Rin barely touched her miso soup and rice, the pain from her bandaged side making it difficult to even breathe. Lady Isoko and Aiko sat in silence as they ate. The priestess’s shoulders were tense, and Rin knew what awaited her before either of them opened their mouths.

            “Higoshi Sute came by the shrine a few hours ago,” Lady Isoko said as she carefully set down her bowl of soup on the makeshift table.

            “Is that so?” Aiko feigned surprise, “Has her husband fallen ill again?” The miko shook her head.

            “She demanded that we punish Rin for…asking to see Haia,” the pair of green eyes fell on Rin. Thankfully the hut was empty as many patients had healed from their illnesses, so there was little risk for gossip to spread from this discussion. However, Lady Isoko knew it was only a matter of time before Sute began viciously destroying what little respect the villagers had left for Rin. She needed to protect the child before a riot formed and demanded her death. “Where did you learn about Haia?”

            The cursed girl was silent, her brown eyes intensely studying the floor of the hut. Unfortunately for Rin, Lady Isoko was patient. Neither woman forced her to speak, but they also didn’t attempt to form a conversation while they waited. The minutes dragged on, and soon the crickets began their nightly symphony outside. The cooking fire burned low, the weakening sunlight illuminating the empty hut.

            With a quiet sigh, Lady Isoko finally stood up from the mat. “Thank you for the meal, Aiko, but I must say my evening prayers,” she announced. The miko gave a grateful smile to the old woman before exiting the wooden structure.

            When the gentle sound of the shrine doors closing washed over the shrine hill, Aiko cleared her throat and grabbed the wrapped object that’d been sitting next to her. The gift was wrapped in a blue cloth with green dragonflies whirring across it. “I’m sorry it took so long, my dear,” she croaked as Rin carefully took the gift from her wrinkled hands.

            Rin could barely contain her excitement as her small hands worked on the knot that held the cloth together. As the fabric fell away, it revealed a sky-blue kimono with white and pink blossoms. Rin dropped her silent façade in the presence of the older woman. “It’s beautiful, obaasan!” She said as she tackled Aiko with a bear hug.

            Aiko gave a small laugh as she hugged the child and lovingly ran her hand through her black hair. “You’re welcome, my dear. Here, let me help you put it on,” she said as the embrace ended. Rin eagerly tugged her kosode off until she stood naked in the fading sunlight. Slender fingers helped tug the white nagajuban over Rin’s pale shoulders and fastened a datejime around her small waist. “You have to excuse Lady Isoko,” Aiko began as she picked up the silk kimono, “she only wants to protect you.”

            Rin let out a sigh of defeat, it seemed she wasn’t going to be able to avoid the previous conversation. While Aiko was wrapping a pale blue obi around her, Rin hesitantly asked, “Who was Haia?”

            The older woman closed her eyes for a moment, her eyebrows furrowing. “Before I begin, I want to make it clear that the Haia you speak of may be different than the Haia Lady Isoko meant.” Her wise, brown eyes slowly opened, looking at Rin with utter seriousness. “Do I make myself clear?” Rin’s smile faded into a thin line at the sudden change in tone, but she nodded nevertheless as she sat down.

            “Haia was the beautiful daughter of Sute and Ryoku. All the villagers fell in love with her because of her innocence and kindness. But,” Aiko paused. She cleared her throat before continuing, “One day, Lady Isoko had fallen ill with a cold and asked Haia to pick some herbs from her garden. Back in the day, demons roamed closer to the village than they do now.”

            “Wait. How long ago was this?” Rin curiously inquired, a sense of dread beginning to creep up her spine.

            “Over ten years ago,” was the response. When Rin sat silently in her new kimono, the old woman continued, “Eisei went with Haia to protect her. However, a wolf demon attacked them. Eisei managed to slay the beast, but not before it killed and ate Haia. Eisei brought back the severed head of a wolf as a trophy and a piece of her ripped yellow kimono to prove his story. We constructed an honorary burial for the child; however, not everything is as it seems in our village.”

            Dread and panic seeped into Rin’s bones, her eyes widening in realization. She scrambled to her feet, hiking up the hem of the kimono as she dashed out of the hut. The sun was finally setting along the horizon, and Rin could already make out a yellow shape near the herb garden. Rin ran down the shrine steps and sprinted across the dirt roads of the village. Though usually there were few villagers outside at this hour, tonight a large group was circled around Sute.

            “We’re going to purge darkness from this village! The kami will smile upon us for enacting their divine judgment—” Rin managed to hear as she whizzed past the group. The herd of men and women held torches and various farming tools while they cheered after each of Sute’s sentences. They were far too intent on their cult-like leader to even notice their sacrificial lamb running past them.

            Rin was out of breath by the time that she reached the herb garden. Haia’s signature smile was plastered on her face, but as she stepped forward Rin’s lungs began to burn from something other than exhaustion. In her mad dash, she’d forgotten to eat some burdock root. Coughs wracked her small form like the night that she first met Haia. Yet again, the mysterious girl’s comforting touches felt like lava engulfing her skin.

            “Step away from her,” a familiar voice commanded. Rin’s eyes were filled with tears, but through the watery curtain she saw a red and white figure.

            “No!” An unworldly scream filled the forest. Though Rin whimpered in pain, the furious girl refused to let go. “I won’t let you hurt her too.”

            “I said to back away,” Rin heard a flurry of footsteps before a sickening cry of agony echoed in her ears. The burning sensation suddenly subsided as Haia retreated from the cowering Rin. With the pain diminished, her tears slowed down enough for her to make out the form of Lady Isoko standing over her like a protective mother. The miko quickly reached inside a brown pouch at her hip and sprinkled purified salt all over the child beneath her.

            Unfortunately, the screams attracted the mob of villagers, and they quickly surrounded the herb garden like sharks. However, they made no attempt to harm Rin or Lady Isoko. They were far too stunned and slack-jawed to pay any heed to the child they once hated. Rin slowly followed their gaze, and her eyes widened at the sight of Haia levitating in the air. Her raven hair flowed against her shoulders despite there being no wind. Her body was surrounded in an ethereal yellow light, and her face was screwed up in anger.

            “Why do you haunt these lands?” The fearless Lady Isoko stood her ground over Rin.

            A bitter laugh escaped the lips of Haia, “You didn't protect me, wench.”

            However, before Lady Isoko could answer or attempt to calm the specter, Sute and Ryoku pushed through the crowd to see what the commotion was about. Upon seeing her daughter, a single tear fell down Sute’s face as she croaked, “Haia?” When the ghostly figure turned her head at the name, Sute collapsed to her knees and let out a heartbroken wail.

            “Mama?” A small voice asked. The once furious child immediately softened at the sight of her parents. She carefully lowered herself to the ground before running into their arms. “I missed you so much!” She cried into their necks, tears freely cascading down her face.

            Her parents wrapped their arms around her in a loving embrace and whispered, “We missed you too.”

            After a few sentimental moments, Lady Isoko cleared her throat to catch their attention. Sute and Ryoku still clutched onto their deceased daughter, but they understood what the miko wanted. “Haia,” Sute began as she stroked her daughter’s raven hair, “can you tell us what happened? We all thought that you were…attacked by a wolf demon.”

            As Haia pulled herself away from her parents, she furrowed her brows in concentration. “I don’t remember much,” she quietly admitted. She searched her mind for a few moments, then said, “I remember going to the herb garden with…some man. Then something dragged me by the collar to the cliff. I struggled against it, but I couldn’t stop them from doing…” She fell silent, “I can’t remember what it did to me.”  
            At the mention of the man that accompanied Haia to the herb garden over ten years ago, the crowd instinctively parted to reveal Eisei amongst their rank. A bead of sweat trickled down his forehead, but otherwise he stood firm and confident.

            Sute gestured towards Eisei, “Do you remember this man?”

            Haia squinted her eyes. “Yes,” she hesitantly said, “I saw him a few weeks prior to escorting me to the herb garden with another woman. She wasn’t his wife.” Confused, she turned towards her parents once more, “What does that have to do with what happened to me?”

            Ryoku was silent, but rage swirled in his brown eyes like the first time he met Rin. “I don’t know,” he growled, protectively wrapping an arm around the child. “But we’re about to find out. To the cliff!” Like a marching army, the mob shuffled deeper into the woods. Haia and Ryoku led the way, but Sute remained in the clearing with Lady Isoko and Rin.

            Shame flickered in her dark eyes as she cautiously approached the miko that was tending to the cursed girl. The salt had taken away the majority of the pain, but Lady Isoko made Rin eat some burdock root to be on the safe side. Sute knelt down beside Rin and swallowed thickly. “I owe you an apology,” she said, her fists clenching with regret. “Thank you for befriending my daughter even in death. I can’t imagine how lonely she must’ve been for all these years until she stumbled across you.” A weak smile spread across Sute’s tired face. She slowly extended a hand towards the child, and a small hand reached up to grasp it. With a gentle heave, Sute helped Rin to her feet and dusted some grass off of her shoulders. “Come,” the woman squeezed Rin’s hand, “let’s figure out what happened to your dear friend.”

            When the trio of females reached the rocky cliff, the mob had formed another half-circle. Sute pushed through the crowd, leading Rin and Lady Isoko to the front. Eisei, Ryoku, and Haia stood at the edge of the cliff and were intently focused on something hundreds of feet below them. The women were silent as they reached the edge and looked down to see what had arrested their attention. Standing out against the dark rocks at the bottom of the cliff were stark white bones shrouded in a tattered yellow kimono.

            Rin was too shocked to move or speak. Though she’d come to realize over the past few hours that her friend was no longer among the living, seeing her bones left no doubt in her mind. Rin lifted her wide, brown eyes to look at Haia, and their gaze locked.

            “I don’t remember my attacker’s face because they attacked me from behind,” Haia said as realization dawned on her. “But, when I was thrown over the cliff just before the sixth sunrise of the week, I remember seeing a face.” Ryoku awoke from his stunned silence at the mention of a crucial detail. He stared expectantly at his daughter, offering her as much encouragement as possible while she relived the moments before her death. She gave a small nod before pointing at Eisei and saying, “It was his face.”

            The mob immediately grabbed Eisei to prevent him from escaping, but the old man put up a decent fight. Eventually, he was subdued with a swift blow to the head. Anger boiled in Rin’s veins, but confusion quickly replaced it as she saw her friend’s weak expression. Haia had been prepared to fight Lady Isoko only an hour ago, yet now she showed no fury towards her killer. However, Rin’s train of thought was broken when Haia collapsed to the ground, her yellow light dim.

            Rin rushed over to her friend, and Haia hugged her tightly. “I’m so tired,” she whispered. “Will you be mad at me if I rest?” Rin shook her head. Mournful tears fell down her face at the realization of what ‘rest’ meant, but she couldn’t deny her friend the right to rest peacefully within death’s embrace.

            “What must we do to make sure you rest?” Rin hadn’t heard Lady Isoko approach the duo, but she was thankful for the miko’s calming presence.

            “Gather my bones before sunrise and bury me next to my ancestors,” Haia commanded. Lady Isoko nodded before giving the pair privacy once more. In the distance, Rin heard the sound of the mob dragging Eisei back towards Yoru village. However, she quickly turned her attention back towards Haia as the girl tenderly touched her cheek. “I’m going to miss you,” she whispered.

            Rin covered Haia’s hand with her own, feeling the young girl’s radiant heat. It truly was like being in the presence of a star; however, even stars are destined to fade. Rin could feel the heat beneath her fingers and on her cheek lessen, and the figure before her became so transparent that she could see the ocean behind her friend. With a final smile, Haia disappeared into the night for the last time.


	13. Hellfire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just so we're all clear, this chapter is mainly focused on some of the things that have been happening with Sesshomaru and crew while we've been focused on Rin for the past few chapters. However, some of these events also extend into the future that we haven't experienced with Rin yet. I hope that makes sense, and I hope y'all enjoy this chapter. As always, a big thank you to all of my readers.

           The corpse slid off of Bakusaiga with a dull thud as Sesshōmaru sheathed the crackling blade. An hour earlier Ah-Un had flown too close to a colony of bat demons and accidentally attracted their attention. Bodies of yōkai littered the shoreline, some were burnt beyond recognition due to the aerial aid from Jaken and Ah-Un. The rough waves eagerly lapped at the spilt blood.

            “You were marvelous, milord!” Jaken called out as Ah-Un descended towards the beach. The silver-haired demon had his back to the duo and offered no sign that he’d heard the imp. Instead, he started walking down the shoreline like he’d been doing before the bat demons attacked. Ah-Un grunted as his claws dug into the coarse sand and followed his master. Jaken jumped down from the beast’s back and scurried to follow a few paces behind Sesshōmaru. “Milord,” Jaken cleared his throat, “exterminating a bat demon colony is no small feat. You’ve surely struck fear and awe into the hearts of all the yōkai that dwell in the south from your wonderous display.”

            The daiyōkai closed his eyes and took a deep breath of the salty air. His nose subtly twitched at the scent of sulfur and rain. There would be a storm soon. “Jaken,” his icy voice silenced the imp for a moment, “what is your report?”

            Jaken folded his hands in front of him. “Under your glorious service, it appears that the southern region has ample agriculture, silver, gold, and cedar and cypress groves. If milord desired it, you could build a fleet of ships with ease and attack the Continent. The economy between human villages is currently stable due to most demon territories being far from shore or high in mountains. With little to impede them, humans are able to conduct trade and harvest marine resources. Demon populations are sparse with one demon usually controlling a large expanse of territory; it appears that colonies like the one we just faced are uncommon. That is all I have to report, milord.”

            Sesshōmaru gave a small nod to show that he approved the imp’s observations. He opened his golden eyes halfway to look at the towering behemoth to his left. Whatever demon that had once occupied the volcano had died a long time ago, and its stony body had been slowly reclaimed by the rainforest ever since. The tall, steep slope told that the demon was passive because it rarely erupted during its life. “How many more volcanoes are in this region?”

            Jaken paused for a moment to count on his fingers, but eventually gave up once he realized he couldn’t use them to count past six. Instead, he trotted back towards Ah-Un and rummaged through the saddle bags. Nestled amongst various letters from Rin and a small calligraphy set was a rolled-up map. He carefully spread the map of Nihon along Ah-Un’s back, each volcano that they’d already searched was circled in black ink. “There are eleven total, milord,” he said as he began to roll the item back up. “Including the one to our left, we’ve searched seven of them.”

            After tucking it away once more, Jaken looked up at his lord. Sesshōmaru had stopped several feet in front of them. His silver hair gently blew in the wind. Before Jaken could question him, Sesshōmaru ordered, “Stay here with Ah-Un.” The daiyōkai launched himself into the air, his mokomoko flowing behind him as he traversed the sky.

            Far beneath him, Jaken cried, “Where are you going, milord?” However, Sesshōmaru was silent, either because he was out of earshot or because he was ignoring the imp. Frustrated, Jaken pulled the map out once more. He winced as his hand accidentally grazed the letter that Rin wrote with purified water. His lord was flying in the direction of the Snake-Horse, and that meant he was most likely headed towards the next volcano. As Jaken was looking at the map, however, he noticed a tiny skull next to the name of the volcano.

***

            The scent of sulfur grew stronger with each mile. After a few hours, a large, dark mass appeared on the horizon. It was a pillar of ash hundreds of feet tall, lightning crackled above the eruption. The source of the pillar was on a peninsula surrounded by the ocean that once held it beneath the surface.

            Sesshōmaru had heard about the demon that lived in the erupting mountain only once from the Inu no Taishō, but his father had only told him that she was one of the oldest demons in all of Nihon. Kazan, the Empress of Fire, was well over five thousand years old and ruled her territory with an iron fist. Weaker demons didn’t dare approach her turf without a reasonable cause. Sesshōmaru, however, was far from being a weak demon.

            Strange, grotesque rock formations showed where lava tracks once flowed and marked the edge of Kazan’s territory. Sesshōmaru slowed his flight speed till he hovered in the air near the translucent red barrier. He extended a single, clawed finger to touch the demonic barrier.

            “Only humans are allowed passage into my lands. Who dares to ask for entry?” A booming voice swept across the landscape and the trees groaned as they were bent by the force.

            “I’ve come to challenge you, Kazan,” Sesshōmaru icily stated. “Lower your barriers.”

            A rumbling laugh shook the ground. “Ah, you must be Sesshōmaru. I’ve been waiting for you,” the voice purred. A hole appeared in the barrier, and the daiyōkai entered the hellscape. A wildfire raged among the last grove of trees in her territory. Lava tracks flowed liberally from the erupting dark mass, sparing neither animal nor human. Cries of suffering and agony crescendoed and decrescendoed like ocean waves. Ash rained down like black butterflies. Death and hellfire engulfed the peninsula.

            A single, large village lay in shambles as Sesshōmaru floated by. What had once been burnt by fire and lava was now covered in a thick layer of soot. Most huts and coops were destroyed, the only remaining untouched structure was the village shrine. The surviving villagers were huddled around the holy place, fervently praying to any spirit—good or evil—that would save them from the fury of Kazan. Tears streamed down their faces from their crippling hopelessness and irritation from the tainted air. One woman happened to open her eyes as the daiyōkai passed overhead.

            “Please,” she loudly pleaded, desperately trying to get his attention, “save us from Kazan! She was kind to us before that horrible woman came here.” Sesshōmaru’s ears twitched at the mention of a third party, but he paid no heed to the villagers that attempted to bargain and beg beneath him. They tried to grab his hakama and offered up their chickens and children as sacrifices, but to no avail. The demon was on a war path, and nothing could stop him.

            He reached the base of the volcano in only a few minutes. The demon landed on a large pumice rock that jutted out from a pool of lava. In a swift movement, he drew Bakusaiga and held the blade to the side.

           The earth beneath him quaked as a hand made of magma grabbed the edge of the caldera. Kazan heaved herself out of her molten home and stretched to her full height. Ash swirled around her like black hair and the air crackled in her presence. An obsidian pendant hung around her neck—the source of the demonic barrier. Bakusaiga glowed green with electric energy.

            Kazan was the first to strike. With a flick of her finger, she slung a ball of lava towards the perched yōkai. Effortlessly, Sesshōmaru dodged the projectile by leaping into the air. However, Kazan used the miniscule moment of unawareness to sprout sharp pillars of basalt. The black tips threatened to spear Sesshōmaru, but a quick sidestep spared his feet. A downward strike along one of the pillars broke it in half and caused a ripple of electricity to run down its length.

            “Nothing more than a pinprick,” Kazan said as she poised for another attack. “You’re going to have to do better than that, Sesshōmaru. Fight me in your yōkai form, coward.” A stream of lava spurted from her hand and splattered against the basalt pillars. Specks of lava rained down on the silver haired demon. Some landed on Bakusaiga, but others burnt holes through his white kimono and seared his flesh. Other than a brief annoyed twitch of his eyebrow, Sesshōmaru remained unprovoked to transform.

            Instead, Sesshōmaru aimed a burst of green energy at the lip of the caldera. The blast shattered the northern edge and sent volcanic rock cascading into the molten pool. Though Kazan could stretch her influence outside of the heart of the volcano, she was physically bound to it. The large demon winced as her own earthen creations crushed her thighs and smothered a portion of the volcanic vent. Fury filled her yellow eyes and, with a cry of rage, hurled several large volcanic bombs. Bakusaiga easily sliced through the cooling rocks and only a few smaller chunks hit the silver haired yōkai. They bounced off of him and only left a sooty mark behind.

            Outside the expansive barrier, strong gusts of wind and heavy rain bore down on the unnatural creation. The typhoon was several miles from the coast, but the tendrils of the storm were eager to challenge Kazan’s might. Kazan, however, paid little attention to the demanding typhoon. Golden eyes locked with yellow eyes, both intent on finishing this dance of death.

            However, a figure crawling up the southern side of the volcano caught Sesshōmaru’s attention. Though her black kimono and hair blended in with the dark rocks and ash, there was no mistaking the white obi. It was the dark priestess, Yoko. In yet another moment of unawareness, Kazan conjured up a whip made of magma. The whip wrapped around Sesshōmaru’s ankle and threw him to the ground. The silver haired demon snarled and twisted to escape the whip, but it wasn’t enough to prevent Kazan from spearing him on a basalt pillar. The rock formation pierced through his armor and abdomen. Sesshōmaru gasped at the harsh pain and immediately began clawing at the pillar. Several feet of basalt, however, had pierced him and only small chunks were breaking off from his strikes. Though he was a powerful demon, Sesshōmaru could feel his energy begin to wane.

            The vibrations of Kazan’s laugh rippled through the pillar, “It seems I’ve won, Sesshōmaru. Though even in death your great demonic power will be of use to me. Prepare to be absorbed, son of Inu no Taishō!” The basalt spear shifted beneath him as it drew him closer to the caldera. Once it reached the lip of the volcano, the bloody rock retreated from his body and set him down mere inches from the magma demon. A smile spread across Kazan’s face as she regarded the injured Sesshōmaru. Just like Kazan had done to him, Sesshōmaru utilized the moment of non-action. With his residual energy, the daiyōkai leapt into the air and narrowly missed Kazan’s whip.  

            “He’s weak, Kazan. Finish him!” Yoko called from below. Sesshōmaru, however, kept his gaze locked on the volcanic creature. He wasn’t going to make the same mistake twice. His mokomoko trailed behind him as he flew to the southern caldera. Bakusaiga crackled with frustration at its disuse, but Sesshōmaru quickly appeased it by sending another blast of green energy towards Kazan.

            This time, though, she was prepared for the attack. Instead of allowing the pumice and basalt to crush her, she deflected the boulders with the back of her hands. But Sesshōmaru wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of grinning in triumph. With her hands of magma out of the way, the daiyōkai had a clear shot of the obsidian pendant. He tightened his grip on Bakusaiga as he put all of his force into a downward strike.

            Time seemed to stand still as the tip of his blade pierced the pendant. Cracks of white light spread across the black piece of jewelry. With a blinding flash, the obsidian pendant shattered into tiny fragments. The red demonic barrier pulsed a few times before finally fading away. The ash that was being contained by the shield filtered out into the atmosphere. The heavy rain poured down on the land engulfed in hellfire.

            The flash of the pendant breaking had thrown Sesshōmaru to the base of the volcano. A quiet groan escaped him as he tried to quickly heal some of his minor injuries. The sound of hissing caused him to open his golden eyes flecked with red. Rain plastered his hair against him as he carefully used his elbows to lift his upper body. The source of the hissing was the thousands of water droplets landing on the molten body of Kazan.

            With a smirk, she said, “Really, Sesshōmaru? You thought some rain could stop me?” Without waiting for any response, Kazan raised her arm to deliver the death blow.

            However, the sound of a loud snap stopped her movement. Kazan looked down in confusion at the caldera that she towered over. Her yellow eyes widened in realization as a large crack in the volcanic rock was accompanied by a similar snap. The rain was penetrating the pores of the rocks and finding all of the weak spots. With a third snap, the entire southern caldera crumbled beneath her. Unable to escape the momentum of the moving lava, Kazan lost her balance and was forced flat along the unstable edge. The remaining western and eastern walls collapsed on her, crushing and smothering every inch of her magma form.

            Though Kazan was destroyed, residual lava and volcanic rock cascaded downwards in a landslide. A landslide that was headed towards both Sesshōmaru and Yoko. Sesshōmaru placed one hand over the gaping wound in his abdomen before flying out of the way of danger. Dark spots flecked at the edge of his vision, but he had enough visibility to see Yoko attempt to put up a spiritual barrier against the onslaught. Though the barrier appeared to be stronger than the one she conjured via a demon puppet, it wasn’t enough to stop the wave of lava and rock. With a muffled scream, Yoko succumbed to the thing she’d once aided.

            Sesshōmaru managed to fly as far as the village, but it was soon apparent that he didn’t have enough strength to both fly against the storm and heal his wound. Bakusaiga was still gripped tightly in his hand when he landed amongst the wreckage of the village. Though most buildings were charred and broken beyond any use, a simple lean-to remained unscathed near a destroyed hut. For humans, it would’ve been a less than ideal choice as the howling winds of the typhoon threatened to rip away everything that remained. For Sesshōmaru, however, it was a perfect spot to heal his wound. The typhoon would keep the villagers huddled in the shrine for now, so he wouldn’t have to worry about the cretins bothering him. With a deep sigh, Sesshōmaru rested his head against the wooden wall and let himself fall into a deep sleep.


	14. Under a Pale Moon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year! We've just passed a very important milestone for An Unexpected Warrior: more people have read this story than were in my highschool graduating class. I want to say thank you to all of my readers and everyone that gives kudos. Moving on, I know that I usually throw in a few Japanese words every chapter, but this chapter is especially filled with Japanese culture so I'm going to include a glossary. I hope everyone has an awesome day and that you enjoy this chapter!
> 
> ~Umeboshi: pickled Japanese plums  
> ~Tanabata: Japanese summer festival focused on the legend of Orihime and Hikoboshi. The most popular tradition of the festival is to write wishes on slips of paper and hang them in bamboo branches.  
> ~Nasu: Japanese eggplant  
> ~Tanzaku: slips of paper with wishes written on them for tanabata  
> ~Yakisoba: grilled noodles with vegetables  
> ~Takoyaki: batter balls filled with octopus  
> ~Fue: Japanese flutes  
> ~Tsuzumi: Japanese hand drum
> 
> The title for this chapter was inspired by the song Under a Violet Moon by Blackmore's Night

           The sun was warm against Rin’s face as she knelt down in the cemetery. The soil was soft from the summer rains. A few dragonflies whizzed by the gravestones. One curiously landed on her light blue kimono before flying off again. On the stone slab in front of her were the various names of the Higoshi family members that resided in urns beneath her. Rin traced the most recent inscription with her calloused fingers.

            “It’s me again, Haia,” Rin said as she placed a bundle of blue hydrangeas on the grave. “I just got done helping Sute-san and Ryoku-san salt this season’s ume. I promise to bring you some umeboshi once they’re done drying. Lady Isoko said that tanabata is only a few weeks away, and I’ve promised to help her set up the decorations. I hope you watch over me, Haia.”

            Rin took a deep breath as she removed a stick of incense from the sleeve of her kimono. Though it’d been several weeks since Haia had finally joined her ancestors, a pang of sadness reverberated through Rin every time she prayed at her grave. To Rin, this grave didn’t just hold Haia and her ancestors. In her mind, this was also the resting place of Rin’s own parents and siblings. Rin hadn’t returned to her village after it was attacked by bandits, and she didn’t know if they ever received a proper burial. For all she knew, their spirits could be wandering around Nihon like Haia.

            A sudden gust of wind broke her train of thought. Her dark hair rippled around her like a black flag. Rin pounced on the stick of incense to stop it from rolling away. After the wind settled down to a gentle breeze, she carefully placed it back in front of the grave.

            “Thanks, Haia. Sometimes I get too lost in my thoughts,” Rin murmured as she returned to her task. Her small hands grabbed the pair of rocks that she kept near the grave to light incense. She struck them together a few times before a spark was eventually produced. The tiny flame latched onto the incense stick and a medicinal scent drifted across the cemetery. Rin clasped her hands together in prayer.

            After a few moments of silent prayer, Rin stood up and bowed to the gravestone before exiting the graveyard. The cemetery was on the hill to the east of the shrine, so it was an easy walk for the cursed child. Many villagers had begun to memorize her schedule of praying at Haia’s grave after eating lunch with Lady Isoko and Aiko, and Sute was waiting for her at the base of the shrine hill.

            Sute’s hair was pulled back in a bun, and her dark eyes twinkled when she saw the girl in the light blue kimono. “Tsk tsk,” she playfully said, “you can’t help us harvest nasu in a kimono, Rin.” Her hands were clasped behind her back, but she moved them in front of her to show the orange checkered kosode she was holding. Sute extended the outfit towards Rin as she skipped down the last few steps of the shrine. “Ryoku is already down in the fields, you can change in our hut, if you’d like.”

            Rin nodded as she took the garment from the woman’s tanned hands. A few beads of sweat trickled down the child’s face. Rin hummed a soft tune as she walked through the village to the familiar hut. A few wandering villagers smiled and waved to her as she passed by. Over the past few weeks, the villagers’ opinion of her had changed dramatically. With Eisei banished from the village and Sute reliving her dreams of having a daughter, the rumors of Rin being a demon accomplice had diminished to almost nothing. Lady Isoko had taken the time to thoroughly explain to the villagers that Rin had been unwillingly cursed, but that it didn’t have any affect on her morality or make her less of a human. Though many had dismissed the priestess’s remarks when Rin had first arrived, they now seemed more accepting of the child after Haia’s burial. It was as if Haia’s starlight shone into the hearts of the villagers and bid them to be kinder to the cursed girl. With the beatings and rumors ceased, Rin had stopped being a child of the night. Now she either helped the farmers with their crops or shadowed Lady Isoko during the day.  

            Once Rin finally reached the hut and disappeared inside, Sute helped her disrobe out of the elaborate outfit. After tugging on the kosode, the pair left to help Ryoku and the other villagers bring in the harvest.

***

            Rin nervously nibbled on the end of her calligraphy brush. A blank piece of rice paper lay in front of her, the shrine candles flickered nearby. The sun was beginning to set outside, but tonight was tanabata and everyone would be awake till the early hours of the morning. Rin had helped Lady Isoko since dawn hang sheets of colored paper and streamers around the village. The pair had spent an hour just writing various wishes for good weather and a bountiful harvest on the slips of paper. Right now, however, Rin wasn’t trying to write another tanzaku. She was trying to focus on writing a letter to Lord Sesshōmaru, but the right words were escaping her.

            Lord Sesshōmaru hadn’t left a reply on the full moon, and he’d missed three nights ago—the new moon—as well. Fear ate at her heart; what if he was in danger? Though she’d originally dismissed the idea of her lord being harmed, her emotions had avalanched since a few nights ago. She could no longer disregard it as merely being forgetfulness, something was deeply wrong. Rin took a deep breath to calm her racing heart. The letters were her only communication with Lord Sesshōmaru, and the only way she could hope to get an explanation was to write to him and pray that he received her letter.

            She scribbled a few desperate lines on the rice paper asking if Jaken and him were alright. While the ink was drying, someone softly knocked on the shrine door. “Yes?” Rin called.

            Lady Isoko peeked her head into the shrine. Her long, dark hair was tied with a white ribbon for tonight’s festival. “It’s almost dark, they’ll run out of yakisoba and takoyaki if we don’t hurry,” the miko warned with a smile.

            “I’ll be there in just a moment,” Rin replied as she folded up her letter. She smoothed out her kimono as she stood up and walked out of the shrine. Lady Isoko was waiting patiently for her at the top of the shrine steps, but Rin bypassed her to go to the ume tree. The priestess made no comment, she was well aware at this point that Rin and Lord Sesshōmaru corresponded through letters.

            Rin expertly scaled the ume tree with her letter tucked under her arm. However, she almost lost her balance due to surprise when she reached the top. Nestled in the branches was a letter with a sakura emblem. Rin hastily grabbed it and nearly fell out of the tree during her descent. Without hesitation, she broke the seal and read the letter. It was written in an unfamiliar, scrawling handwriting.

 

_Rin,_

_This is an urgent matter, but I dare not talk to you directly lest the curse be stirred up. Our wonderful Lord Sesshōmaru has been missing for over two weeks. The last time I saw him, he commanded Ah-Un and I to remain on the beach near the volcano named Unzen. I believe that he’s gone to face Kazan, a powerful magma demon. I fear that things may have gone poorly since our glorious lord hasn’t returned. As much as I wish to obey our fearless Lord Sesshōmaru, I can no longer stand idly by when his life may be at stake. I’ll send word as soon as I find him._

_Sincerely,_

_Master Jaken_

            Rin couldn’t contain her sob. Her worst fears had been confirmed by the imp: her lord was in danger and she was powerless to help. Tears streamed down her face, but gentle fingers wiped them away. She blinked her brown eyes open to see Lady Isoko knelt in front of her.

“It’s okay,” the miko said as she hugged the sobbing girl and stroked her black hair. Rin let out several shuddering breaths as she buried her face in Lady Isoko’s shoulder.

“Lord Sesshōmaru is in danger,” Rin managed to say in-between sobs. In the distance, she could hear the sounds of fue and tsuzumi as the festival began. Rin broke the embrace and rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand.

            “If it’s any consolation,” Lady Isoko hesitantly began as Rin’s breathing slowly returned to normal, “I’ve noticed a…change in you. I’ve been meaning to tell you for awhile now, but I could never get Aiko to leave the room to give us privacy.” Rin tilted her head in curiosity at the miko’s words. “Rin,” Lady Isoko took a deep breath, “I think the curse has been broken. I haven’t sensed the lingering demonic energy for several days, so I think it’s gone for good.”

            Rin’s brown eyes widened as she let the words sink in. A wave of relief washed over her, Lord Sesshōmaru had been successful. Her joy, however, was short lived since it still didn’t explain why the daiyōkai had disappeared.

            “I’m sure he’s fine, Rin,” Lady Isoko said as she saw the child’s brows begin to furrow. “Knowing Lord Sesshōmaru, his icy stare probably froze the ground beneath him and he’s stuck,” she chuckled. Rin giggled at the mental image, her tears and fears forgotten for the time being. Lady Isoko stood up and brushed off her red hakama. She gently squeezed the child’s hand as she asked, “Are you well enough to go to the festival?” Rin nodded exuberantly and tucked Master Jaken’s letter into her kimono before allowing the miko to guide her towards the shrine steps.

            The night was already filled with music and singing when the duo reached the heart of the village. Adults and children alike had added their own colorful wishes to the bamboo branches that lined the streets. Paper lanterns lit the dirt pathways, and Rin suppressed a shudder as she walked beneath a line of blue ones. Tonight wasn’t a time to dwell on her less than desirable memories of her travels with Lord Sesshōmaru and Jaken. It was a clear night and the stars twinkled overhead. Rin liked to imagine that Haia was now the brightest star in the night sky. The pale crescent moon was like a lowered eye that watched the mortal world celebrate beneath it.  

            Merchants lined the streets peddling their wares. Some inclined their heads as Lady Isoko passed by, but others attempted to tempt Rin with their various silks, jewelry, and toys. Rin, however, copied the miko’s behavior of simply nodding in acknowledgment and moving on before they tried to haggle. Past the stalls of the merchants were several people selling food for the festival. Rin’s mouth watered at the scent of yakisoba, and her stomach growled loudly. Her cheeks turned red in embarrassment, but she quickly burst into giggles when she heard Lady Isoko’s stomach growl even louder than hers.

            “Perhaps we should eat something,” Lady Isoko smiled down at the laughing child. As the duo approached the booth selling yakisoba, a familiar mop of dark hair came into view. “Chiyo!” Lady Isoko happily exclaimed. “It’s so wonderful to see you. How’s your arm?”

            Chiyo gave a toothy grin as she flexed the arm that was once splinted. “It’s healed perfectly, Lady Isoko! How have you been?”

            A woman standing behind Chiyo turned around to scold, “Chiyo, I’ve told you not to talk so much to the customers. Just get their orders and tell them to—” The woman’s scowl quickly turned into a smile, “Lady Isoko, I didn’t see you there. Thank you so much for healing little Chiyo’s arm.” She added, “As thanks for all you’ve done, have two bowls of yakisoba on the house.”

            “You’re far too kind,” Lady Isoko inclined her head in gratitude. “Have a wonderful night, Chiyo,” she bade as she handed one bowl to Rin and entered the crowd of people once more. Rin eagerly grabbed her chopsticks and shoveled the delicious noodles into her mouth. Lady Isoko simply smiled as she ate her own noodles at a slower, more delicate pace.

            The crowd was most dense around the center of the village. A group of musicians had formed a circle and were playing folk songs. The majority of the bamboo branches were also here, and many villagers were still hanging up their tanzaku. Children ran through the crowd playing tag or chasing each other with origami creatures. The crowd cheered as the musicians began playing a familiar song.

            “Is this your first tanabata?” Lady Isoko asked as she hummed along to the music.

            Rin shook her head, “No, but it’s been a long time since I’ve celebrated it.” Lady Isoko simply nodded and didn’t press her for more information.

            The music soon reached the point where vocals joined in. All around Rin the villagers lent their voices to create a beautiful melody. Rin added her alto voice to the melting pot of sounds. “Bamboo leaves are rustling, rustling/ Swaying close to the roof’s edge/ Oh, how the stars are twinkling, twinkling/ Gold and silver grains of sand,” the crowd sang. A gentle breeze carried the song over the entire village as they prepared for the next verse. “Five wishes/ I have written/ The stars are twinkling, twinkling/ And watching from the sky.” The villagers cheered as the song concluded. A huge smile spread across Rin’s face, it’d been a long time since she’d had a full belly and participated in a festival. Perhaps she could get used to living in a village. However, a yawn interrupted the smile. As if a ton of bricks dropped on her, Rin suddenly felt tired from all of the day’s activities.

            “Would you like me to accompany you back to the shrine?” Lady Isoko asked as she saw Rin sleepily rubbing her eyes.

            The child shook her head, “No, I can find my way back. Have fun, Lady Isoko.” With that, she left the priestess in the sea of people. As she trudged through the crowd, she spied a stall that she hadn’t noticed earlier. Standing among several jars of umeboshi were Sute and Ryoku. Rin raised a hand to wave at them as she trotted over to their stall.

            “Rin,” Ryoku said, “how’s the greatest farmer in all of Yoru village been?”

            Rin giggled at his comment, “I should be saying that to you, Ryoku-san. But I’ve had so much fun tonight!”

            “That’s wonderful, Rin.” Sute replied as she wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead. “Would you like a free jar of umeboshi? It’s the least we can do for all of your help.”

            “Yes, thank you,” the child said as the couple passed her a jar of the red pickled fruit. With a wave goodbye, Rin finally left the festival. By the time she reached the shrine stairs, her legs felt like lead and her eyes were heavy. “I’ll give these to you tomorrow morning, Haia,” Rin whispered when she passed the cemetery. She was certain that she’d fall asleep if she tried to pray tonight. As soon as she’d set the jar aside, changed into her kosode, and snuggled into her shikibuton, Rin drifted off into sleep.

***

            Rin was sleeping too deeply to notice the figure that appeared at the shrine doors. The festival had wrapped up a few hours ago, and now the night was filled with the sound of crickets and the murmurings of merchants as they packed up the last of their wares. The doors didn’t squeak when the figure gingerly opened them and stepped inside. It moved silently through the shrine, bathed in pale moonlight. Its breathing was quiet as it slinked towards the shikibuton in front of the altar. A clawed hand reached out to shake the sleeping child’s shoulder.

            Rin yawned as she blearily blinked her eyes and turned her head to see what Lady Isoko wanted. The face that greeted her, however, was shrouded in darkness and didn’t have the miko’s green eyes. Rin instinctively shoved the hand off of her shoulder and rolled out of the figure’s reach. Her heart pounded in her chest, brown eyes wide with fear.

            The figure that was knelt near the shikibuton slowly rose to its full height. Even though Rin was splayed across the floor, it was obvious that the figure was several feet taller than her. The shadowed creature didn’t advance towards her, it instead moved backwards into the moonlight that was filtering in through the window. In the pale light, Rin could finally recognize the golden eyes and magenta markings.   

            “Lord Sesshōmaru?” She whispered as if he’d disappear if she was too loud. She rubbed her eyes to see if she was dreaming, but the yōkai remained in the moonlight. _This isn’t a dream_ , she thought as she leapt up from her position on the shrine floor and bounded towards Sesshōmaru. Rin threw her arms around him, her cheek resting against his cold armor. Sesshōmaru didn’t move to return the affection, but Rin was too overcome with happiness to notice. It’d been over four months since she’d last seen the daiyōkai. As she ended the hug, though, she frowned at the expansive hole in his armor above where she’d rested her head.

            “Tōtōsai will fix it,” Sesshōmaru dryly stated before she could question him. Released from her embrace, the demon moved towards the shrine doors. Rin’s eyes widened in realization; she could finally follow Lord Sesshōmaru once more. Joy surged through her, but there was a faint jab of sadness that she’d have to leave Yoru village behind.

            “Lady Isoko told me that she couldn’t feel the curse anymore,” Rin said to fill the silence as she quickly collected her kimono, calligraphy set, a spare incense stick, and the jar of umeboshi.

            “The dark priestess and demon that cursed you are dead,” Lord Sesshōmaru affirmed.

            “So it’s safe for me to be around demons now?” She inquired as she tucked the bundle under her arm. The daiyōkai silently nodded, but his eyebrow briefly raised in confusion. Rin followed his golden gaze to the umeboshi jar in her hand. “I’ve got some unfinished business,” she explained.

            “Tend to it quickly,” he said flatly as he pushed open the doors of the shrine.

            “Oh, I just remembered,” Rin said as she passed him on her way down the shrine hill, “Master Jaken sent this.” She dug the letter out of her folded kimono and handed it to the yōkai. Sesshōmaru examined the letter in his claws while Rin ran down to the cemetery.  

            Her feet guided her to the Higoshi gravestone like it was second nature. The bundle of blue hydrangeas had long since wilted and were absorbed back into the earth. Rin laid the jar of umeboshi down where the flowers once were. She quickly placed the incense stick in front of the gravestone and lit it with the two rocks. She took a deep breath to steady herself. “It’s me again, Haia. I brought you the umeboshi like I promised. Your mother and father gave it to me, so I hope you enjoy it.” Sadness gripped her heart with its iron fist as she added, “I’m going away for a long time, Haia…I don’t know if I’ll ever return to Yoru village. Thank you for being a good friend and watching over me.” A single tear trickled down her young face.

            Though Sesshōmaru moved through the cemetery silently, Rin could feel his icy gaze on her. She glanced over her shoulder at the silver haired demon, his hands clasped behind his back. The single tear dramatically shone in the moonlight like a jewel. “Were you happy here?” The daiyōkai suddenly asked.

            The question caught her off guard. She bit her lower lip as she hesitantly nodded. “The first few weeks were…difficult, but I still made some friends,” Rin gestured to Haia’s grave while she spoke. “The villagers eventually became kinder to me, and I’ve enjoyed helping them out. I had the most wonderful time at tanabata tonight,” her brown eyes sparkled as she recalled the fond memories.     

            The daiyōkai was silent for several moments. When Rin lifted her head to finally meet his gaze, she found something in his golden eyes that she’d never seen before: uncertainty. However, the moment was short-lived as he shifted his emotions back to his regular icy persona. “Would you like to stay here?” His tone was steady and lacked any emotion.

            Rin instantly leapt up from the grave and shook her head, “I’d rather follow you, milord. These villagers mean a lot to me and they’ll always hold a special place in my heart, but you and Jaken are my family.” She clutched the bundle of items close to her as she approached the silent yōkai. Several moments passed by without a word, and Rin began to worry that Sesshōmaru was about to launch himself into the air and leave her behind. However, the daiyōkai quickly erased her fears when he extended a clawed hand towards her. Without hesitation, she placed her small hand on top of his.

            In a single, fluid motion, Sesshōmaru placed his other arm underneath her knees and scooped her up. Rin let out a startled yelp at the sudden movement, but quickly quieted down as she adjusted in his arms. The yōkai didn’t spare a glance downward at the human he was now carrying bridal style as he gracefully leapt into the air.

            Rin couldn’t help but look down at the rapidly shrinking Yoru village. The village was silent as many slept deeply after the festivities. Paper lanterns still lined the empty streets and gave off a whimsical light. As Rin’s eyes began to fall with a familiar heaviness, she couldn’t help but notice a recognizable figure in a pink kimono hundreds of feet below her.

            Chiyo stared up into the sky as the silver haired demon whisked away the young girl. When the shock began to wear off, Chiyo sprinted up the shrine hill and repeatedly rang the bronze gong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song that the villagers sing during tanabata is an English translation of the traditional folk song called Tanabata-sama. If you'd like to learn more about tanabata or learn about the original lyrics of Tanabata-sama, here's a helpful website: https://www.mamalisa.com/?t=es&p=2304


	15. Unforeseen Consequences

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a couple of things that I need to say, so I'm just going to jump right into it:
> 
> 1) It occurred to me that I've never given you guys a specific geographic region whenever I write things like "the eastern region", "the North", etc. For anyone that's interested in that kind of stuff, here's a rough idea of how this world is laid out:  
> ~Northern region: the northern portion of Honshu, extends as far south as modern-day Sendai. Includes the entirety of Hokkaido  
> ~Eastern region: the eastern portion of Honshu, extends as far as modern-day Osaka  
> ~Southern region: the southwestern portion of Honshu and the entirety of Kyushu and Shikoku  
> ~Western region: the western portion of Honshu, basically extends from Niigata to Kyoto 
> 
> 2) I've recently fallen in love with the song Soldier, Poet, King by The Oh Hellos. I personally think it perfectly describes our unlikely trio, so I recommend that y'all listen to it. 
> 
> 3) The spring semester will be starting soon, and my schedule is absolutely crazy. I honestly won't be getting home most days till late in the evening, and that's not factoring in things like homework or other activities. Unfortunately, that means I won't be able to update this story as frequently. I'm sorry to all of my readers that look forward to these updates, but I hope you understand. 
> 
> With all of that being said, I hope you guys have been doing great and enjoy this chapter!

           The volcanic rock beneath Jaken’s feet was jagged and threatened to slice him open if he fell. It was dawn, and the sky was a bright pink. The ground was covered with ash and debris. Heat radiated around him due to the steady stream of lava that was flowing into the ocean. He didn’t dare get near the caldera lest it collapsed even further. Ah-Un snorted nervously behind the imp, the dragon yōkai could sense that something was amiss. Before them lay the crumbling, destroyed outer shell of the volcano, but Kazan was no where in sight.

            Jaken tapped his foot while he tried to think of what may have happened. “It doesn’t make sense,” he thought aloud. “If Kazan fell, then surely Lord Sesshōmaru would’ve returned shortly after his victory. If…our lord perished, then Kazan would still be alive to tell the tale.” The imp lifted his head to watch the clouds idly pass by. “They were both powerful demons, so one should still be in the realm of the living. Even Inu no Taishō survived his encounter with Ryūkotsusei, albeit he died shortly after.”

            Ah-Un shook his heads and let out a high-pitched grunt. “Not now Ah-Un,” Jaken waved a dismissive hand at the yōkai without turning around. The imp lowered his head as he continued his pondering. He absentmindedly picked up a shard of obsidian that lay at his feet.

            “Jaken,” the icy voice startled the imp and the black stone slipped out of his fingers.

            Jaken moved faster than the winds of a typhoon as he spun around to greet the owner of the voice. Standing only a few feet away was Sesshōmaru, but he was holding something in his arms. The daiyōkai knelt down and released his cargo. The girl in the orange kosode had been asleep for the majority of the flight, and now her legs were wobbly while she rubbed the sand from her eyes. Dark ash clung to her feet as she stood up.

            “Rin!” Jaken cried and lunged towards the child. However, he only made it a few steps before he froze in place. His yellow eyes looked up at the daiyōkai, asking an unspoken question. Sesshōmaru silently nodded, and Jaken bear hugged Rin now that he knew the curse was broken. Rin squealed at the sudden hug, but quickly wrapped her arms around the imp. “It feels like I haven’t seen you in forever, Rin,” the imp sighed.

            Cold, wet drops fell on her shoulder from the imp’s happy tears. The yōkai hugged her tighter, but lifted his head in confusion when his arm brushed against the silk fabric tucked under her arm. A curious, three-fingered hand rubbed the kimono. “Where did you get this?” Jaken questioned. His eyes held a familiar sheen, a lecture was rapidly approaching.

            “It was a gift,” Rin explained as she protectively tugged the kimono out of his grasp.

            The imp spluttered, “A-a gift? Rin you’re far too young to be accepting courtship gifts.”

            Rin tilted her head like a dog. “A courtship gift?” She purposefully elongated the new word as she let it slide over her tongue. “Master Jaken, an old woman, Aiko, gave the kimono to me,” she explained to the overprotective yōkai. She added with a giggle, “You’re far too short to be making such a long leap.” Her giggles quickly devolved into rolling with laughter as the imp scolded her for the insult.

            The light moment, however, was cut short. Sesshōmaru was the first one to sense it, and he rested his hand on the hilt of Bakusaiga. Jaken and Rin quieted their squabble, they could feel the air become tenser. Jaken tightened his grip around the Staff of Two Heads, a new demonic aura was approaching.

            As if appearing out of thin air, a figure suddenly stood in front of them. The creature was a few inches shorter than Sesshōmaru and it had a humanoid appearance. Its pale skin had a blue undertone and it wore a dark blue kimono with a dark gray hakama. A sword scabbard hung from its side. A strange, white mist drifted near the figure’s short, black hair. The stranger smiled at the unlikely trio before bowing to Sesshōmaru.

            “Lord Sesshōmaru, how wonderful to finally meet you,” the figure said. The masculine voice and bone structure indicated that the stranger was a male. “My name is Yau and—”

            “How do you know our lord?” Jaken interjected. He took several steps towards Yau and put himself in-between the newcomer and the daiyōkai.

            Yau chuckled at the defensive imp, “Jaken, your lord’s reputation precedes him.” His dark blue eyes regarded the silver-haired demon for a moment before adding, “Afterall, he slayed Kazan single-handedly. I’m certain all of Nihon has heard the news by now.”

            “State your purpose. I don’t have time for exaggerated greetings,” the daiyōkai finally addressed Yau. His hand still rested on Bakusaiga, a warning for him to either hurry up or face Sesshōmaru’s blade.    

            A nervous smile spread across Yau’s pale blue face, his fangs glistening in the rising sun. “As you wish, milord. You see, I’m an associate of the human daimyō known as Kimura Masahiko. When you defeated Kazan, the dark priestess, Yoko, also perished. Yoko was the last remaining offense of Masahiko’s rival, the daimyō known as Sato Seiji. And, if the rumors are true, you also were responsible for killing the majority of Seiji’s army. Whether you realize it or not, Lord Sesshōmaru, you directly aided my associate in conquering Seiji’s territory and becoming the most powerful daimyō of the eastern region. Masahiko feels indebted to you, milord, and wishes to repay you.”

            “You must take me for a fool if you think I’d accept a human’s assistance,” Sesshōmaru said, his words laced with ice and irritation. He drew Bakusaiga, and the blade crackled a warning.

            Yau coolly stared at the weapon, and his lips pursed together in a tight frown. “You misunderstand my words, Lord Sesshōmaru,” he stated. “Masahiko desires a political alliance. He understands that you aspire for supreme conquest, and he only asks that you don’t destroy his lands or kill his people. In exchange, my associate offers his undying loyalty and any resources you desire.”

            “You keep referring to Masahiko as ‘my associate’; what’s your relationship with the human?” Jaken interceded between the two yōkai once more.

            “I should be asking you the same thing,” Yau said as his dark blue eyes flickered over Rin. The girl had been standing near Ah-Un in case the situation escalated, and she flinched under the piercing gaze of the unfamiliar yōkai. Sesshōmaru’s shoulders tensed as he prepared for a potential attack, but none came. “To answer your question,” Yau shifted his attention back to the imp clutching the Staff of Two Heads, “my family has been associated with the Kimura clan for centuries. You see, I’m a rain demon. In exchange for my gifts of celestial hydration, the people offer me whatever I desire.”

            “But that means that we’d be competing with you for resources from Masahiko—assuming that Lord Sesshōmaru accepts the offer.” Jaken pointed an accusing finger at Yau as he spoke.

            “On the contrary, Jaken. I’ve already spoken with Masahiko, and I’ve offered to continue providing rain to his crops so long as he gives me one thing: freedom. Like I said, my family has lived in the territory of the ruling Kimura for centuries, and frankly I’ve grown tired of the same grasslands and hills. I aspire to travel Nihon and follow in the shadow of the great Lord Sesshōmaru. Of course, that’s assuming he accepts the offer,” Yau said.

            Expectant eyes gazed at Sesshōmaru while he silently contemplated the offer. Jaken crossed his arms as he patiently waited for his lord’s response. Eventually, he opened his golden eyes. “Tell your associate that I’ll consider his offer,” Sesshōmaru said as he sheathed Bakusaiga.

            Yau sighed with relief as the tense atmosphere dissipated. “Wonderful, I’ll tell him right away. However,” the yōkai’s brows furrowed slightly, “he asked that I return with some sort of…mark or signature to prove that I’ve spoken to you.”

            Sesshōmaru nodded and strode over to Yau. With the tip of his claw, the silver-haired demon quickly sliced a pattern on Yau’s right cheek. Yau barely flinched as Sesshōmaru carved a sakura emblem onto his face. “You’ll be my eyes and ears of the East,” the daiyōkai stated as he flicked the blood off of his claws. “Don’t disappoint me.”

            Yau bowed low to Sesshōmaru, “As you wish, milord.” Just as suddenly as he appeared, Yau disappeared in a puff of water vapor.

            “Do you really think we can trust him, milord?” Jaken asked as Sesshōmaru turned back towards Ah-Un and Rin.

            “Only time will tell,” the silver-haired demon said with a bored tone. Rin was stuffing her items into Ah-Un’s saddlebags, but became distracted by the glittering pieces of obsidian that littered the ground. She curiously picked up a few shards and dusted off the lingering speckles of ash. A strange heat radiated off of the obsidian fragments. “Rin,” Sesshōmaru interrupted her detailed examination of the black stones, “prepare to leave. We’re heading to the North.”

***

            “You’re certain that it was a yōkai?” Lady Isoko skeptically asked. She pushed back several large leaves as she and the villagers traversed the understory of the rainforest. A few thorns snagged on her red hakama and added to the various tears acquired from this expedition.

            “Yes,” Chiyo was walking alongside the miko and held a torch. Though the sun hadn’t set yet, they were too far away from the village to return before dusk fell. “Rin was praying in the cemetery, and a demon followed her. Then it grabbed her and flew away,” she recounted the story for the hundredth time.

            “Did she struggle at all? Any cries of distress?” Lady Isoko continued her interrogation. She knew with almost complete certainty who the culprit was, but she didn’t want to draw any conclusions in case Rin was actually in danger.

            “She yelped, but I was too far away to tell if she fought back,” the young girl replied. Lady Isoko’s frown deepened. Tonight would be the third night of searching for the missing child, and the priestess didn’t know how much longer Rin could survive if she was in the hands of a malevolent demon.

            The search party trampled over shoots of bamboo and bushes of colorful flowers as they pushed through the rainforest. Sweat dripped down the villagers’ faces and their clothes clung to them. Far too soon, the sun began to dip lower and lower until there was only an hour of daylight left.

            “Lady Isoko,” Ryoku moved to the front of the search party. The miko slowed her pace for him to catch up, but didn’t stop walking. “We should start heading back to the village, there’s no way we’ll find her in the dark.” Ryoku’s brown eyes were filled with exhaustion and worry. Though him and his wife had only spent two months befriending the child and taking her under their wing, Ryoku felt like he’d lost his daughter all over again.

            “I agree, but it sounds like there’s a river just up ahead. We’ll stop for a drink and then head back to the village for the night.” The miko’s throat was parched because she’d given Chiyo her water. Ryoku nodded and fell back in line with the rest of the search party. The sound of flowing water grew louder with each step, and Lady Isoko and Chiyo pulled back some low hanging branches to reveal a clearing and the river. Both audibly gasped.  

            The clearing was flat and devoid of thick vegetation. The river’s current was too quick for bathing, but that didn’t stop a girl in an orange kosode from splashing water onto herself. The water came up to her mid-calf as she rinsed off the dirt and ash from her arms.

            “Rin!” Chiyo was the first to react. She sprinted towards the girl like she was being chased by a hundred moon bears. Rin managed to get one foot back on the riverbank before Chiyo tackled her with a hug. Rin almost lost her balance and fell backwards, but quickly righted herself. She carefully shuffled further inland without breaking the embrace.

             Lady Isoko wasn’t far behind Chiyo, and she wrapped her long arms around Rin. As each villager filtered into the clearing, they added to the group hug until the girl was surrounded by fifteen people. However, as the embrace started to end, the questioning began.

            “Where have you been?”

            “Did the demon hurt you?”

            “Did it threaten to eat you?”

            “How come you’re by yourself?”

            “Why is there ash on your kosode?”

            The villagers rapidly asked their questions, not even allowing Rin to breathe before they asked the next one. Though as they bombarded her, Rin could sense that she wasn’t the only one in the clearing. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see a pair of golden eyes hiding near the tree line. She internally sighed, Sesshōmaru must’ve heard the commotion and gone to investigate. _As long as I don’t act distressed or call attention to him, I’ll be fine,_ she thought.

            Unfortunately for Rin, Lady Isoko whipped her head around when she sensed the demonic aura that was nearby. The villagers followed her line of sight and lifted their weapons. Some carried bows or swords, but most were armed with farming tools.

            “Come out, demon,” Lady Isoko snarled as she nocked an arrow. Sesshōmaru didn’t immediately move, but after several seconds he stepped into the fading daylight of the clearing. Some of the villagers’ jaws dropped in awe as the daiyōkai was bathed in orange light. His silver hair seemed to glisten and his light skin made him look like a porcelain statue. His breastplate still had a gaping hole in it, but otherwise Sesshōmaru’s appearance was perfect to villagers that rarely saw humanoid demons.

            Lady Isoko relaxed, “Oh, it’s just you, Lord Sesshōmaru.” Some villagers copied the miko’s posture, but others remained tense and ready to fight. “Lower you weapons,” the miko ordered to the villagers still on edge. “Lord Sesshōmaru is—”

            “He’s my friend,” Rin interrupted the priestess. She strode over from the riverbank to the tree line with the courage of a lion. Whatever Lady Isoko was about to say, the villagers needed to hear it from Rin’s own mouth. “I’ve been travelling with Lord Sesshōmaru for almost two years, and he’s become like family. He left me in Yoru village to break the curse, and he came back for me once he succeeded.”  

            “But…he’s a demon,” Chiyo’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Some of the villagers reverberated her question, and a nervous mumbling filled the clearing.

            “I know you think demons are scary, but really they’re no scarier than humans,” Rin’s eyes surveyed the search party as she spoke. Many still looked skeptical, but Lady Isoko’s green eyes softened. Rin took a deep breath, “I know all of you have been looking for me and missed me, but I’ve chosen to follow Lord Sesshōmaru. You may not understand my reasoning, but it’s my decision.”

            The villagers were silent as they contemplated the girl’s words. “Why didn’t you at least say goodbye?” Ryoku finally broke the silence. His broad shoulders were slumped with defeat.

            Rin sheepishly smiled and ran a hand through her black hair. “To be honest, I was too caught up in the moment to even think about going around and saying goodbye to everyone,” she admitted. “Plus, I’ve got the feeling that I’ll see Yoru village again someday.”

            “Then let us say goodbye for now,” Lady Isoko said, “and pray that we’ll see you soon.” Her green eyes were filled with a mixture of sadness and serenity when she looked down at the child. But the miko knew it was far better to allow Rin to follow Lord Sesshōmaru than to face the horrible consequences of forcing her to return to the village. The priestess wrapped her arms around Rin and squeezed the breath out of her.

            Just like when they’d first stumbled upon Rin in the river, each villager hugged her and whispered their goodbyes. After each villager was done, they walked back to the break in the tree line from where they arrived. Soon, only Ryoku and Lady Isoko stood near her.

           “Sute and I will miss you, Rin,” Ryoku said as he gently hugged the child. “Promise me that you’ll write to us.” Rin’s throat was tight from the several emotional goodbyes, so she only vigorously nodded. A small, sad smile cracked across Ryoku’s face as he went to join the others.

            Lady Isoko playfully ruffled her hair. “I expect to receive letters, too. Take care of yourself, Rin,” she whispered. With a light kiss on Rin’s forehead, Lady Isoko wiped the budding tears from her eyes and walked to the tree line. The villagers gave a final wave before they disappeared back into the rainforest and headed home to Yoru village.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I feel like I should address the elephant in the room that comes with most Sess/Rin fanfics. Yes, historically kimonos were used as courtship gifts. Yes, Sesshomaru gives Rin a kimono in Inuyasha-The Final Act 26: Toward Tomorrow. Yes, some fans have interpreted this as meaning that our favorite edgelord demon was pursing Rin when she was less than twelve. **However,** I personally don't condone nor support lolicon or underage sex. For the purposes of An Unexpected Warrior, the kimono gift scene will be treated as simply platonic and without any sexual implications. (spoiler) Rin's attraction to Sesshomaru will be one-sided until she's around sixteen (/spoiler). I refuse to entertain any comments of "oh, sex is treated differently in Japan" or "the age of consent is 13". While I can accept that different cultures view sex and sexual feelings differently, the consent law is used to determine if an instance of sexual assault was statutory rape. In fact, Japan has an additional law (the Juvenile Obscene Act) that prevents minors from engaging in obscene acts (i.e. sex). I'm sorry for the long rant, but I wanted to make it very clear that this isn't a lolicon fanfic. 
> 
> Some references if you want to research Japanese consent laws:  
> https://www.ageofconsent.net/world/japan  
> https://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/human/child/initialreport/definition.html


	16. Tranquility

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this chapter is so short! The next chapter will definitely be at least a little bit longer. I do want to mention that there's a brief mention of a personal headcanon in this chapter, but I'll explain it more in the notes at the end since I don't want to spoil anything. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

            Rain dripped down Rin’s forehead in a steady stream. She wrapped her arms tighter around herself as a shiver crept through her fragile body. The magnolia leaves above her offered a moderate amount of shelter from the celestial hydration, but it didn’t stop the warm rain from seeping into her bones. Strands of black hair clung to her face, and her kosode had absorbed at least a pound of water. Ah-Un grunted as he shook his mane and sent water droplets flying in every direction. His yellow eyes were filled with exhaustion, and he lazily munched on some grass while Jaken sifted through the saddlebags.

            “You’d think that we’d have fair weather now that a rain demon is our ally,” Jaken muttered as he spread the water-damaged map along Ah-Un’s haunches. The soggy item tore in the imp’s hands. In a fit of frustration, he threw the map to the ground and exclaimed, “The blasted rain destroyed our map!”

            “Actually,” Rin said as she rested her chin on her arm, “Yau said he only controlled the rain in Masahiko’s territory. The South has a long rainy season during the summer, so it’s not unusual to have downpours like this.”

            “Hmph, did you learn that in the human village?” The sharp bitterness of his words caused Rin’s eyes to widen in surprise. The imp let out an irritated sigh and murmured, “That came out wrong…” He rubbed his large, bug-like eyes with the heel of his palm and sat down with a groan. They’d flown through rain for three sunrises straight before Sesshōmaru finally agreed to land and continue travelling on foot. It’d been almost a week since Rin said goodbye to the villagers, and they were finally a day’s journey away from the river that marked the border of the southern region.

            The ground squelched beneath Rin’s toes as she stood up and strode over to the two exhausted yōkai. A calloused hand carefully picked up the remnants of the map, and she grimaced as it ripped even further in her hands. “We could pick up another map in the next village,” she offered.

            “That’s a splendid idea, Rin,” Jaken said with unrestrained sarcasm. “But in villages where you’re not everyone’s favorite black-haired girl, they require money in exchange for items.” The yōkai closed his eyes and leaned against Ah-Un with a sigh.

            Rin frowned at his statement. “I wasn’t immediately everyone’s favorite,” she grumbled under her breath. Jaken, however, was silent and didn’t further the argument. Rin let the soggy map slide out of her hands as she dug through the saddlebags. She sighed with relief when she felt a mostly dry kimono and calligraphy set.

            A soft snore filled the forest, and Rin’s curious brown eyes flickered downward. Jaken and Ah-Un were fast asleep. Outside the canopy of the magnolia, the rain had weakened to a drizzle. A break in the dark gray clouds allowed a single ray of fading sunlight to reach the soaked earth. The world seemed to be cleansed by the downpour, and the smell of wet dirt filled Rin’s nose as she took a deep breath of fresh air. However, she instantly focused on the sweet scent of cherries as her stomach rumbled. Her bones groaned that she should go to sleep like her companions, but she couldn’t ignore her aching hunger with food so close by.

            _Maybe I’ll find Lord Sesshōmaru,_ she thought as she trotted out from underneath the magnolia. The daiyōkai had disappeared into the forest without a word the moment that they’d landed, and Rin hadn’t seen him for several hours.

It took her a few moments of wandering around to spot the tall, narrow tree that housed several pieces of bright red fruit. After climbing the ume tree in Yoru village for several months, Rin was experienced enough to not fall out of the cherry tree or get smacked in the face by a branch. She shoveled handfuls of the delicious fruit into her mouth, red juice trickling down her youthful face. As she was happily munching, however, she noticed a figure clad in white several yards away from her. The creature was stationary and seemed to be sitting in front of a creek. A light breeze rustled the figure’s long, silver hair. With a smile, Rin clambered down the tree and skipped towards Lord Sesshōmaru.

            Just as she’d seen from the cherry tree, Sesshōmaru was sitting with his legs crossed in front of a gentle creek. His breathing was slow and his fists rested near his abdomen. Though Rin knew Lord Sesshōmaru was powerful, she rarely saw the physical manifestation of it in his physique due to his loose clothing. However, when she approached the demon, she could clearly see the outline of rippling biceps and broad shoulders through his damp, white kimono.

            “What are you doing, Lord Sesshōmaru?” Rin asked as she innocently tilted her head.

            “Meditating,” he gruffly responded. He was as still as a statue, his steady breathing the only indication that he was a living creature.

            When the daiyōkai didn’t say anything else, Rin continued, “Can I meditate with you? Jaken and Ah-Un already fell asleep…” Sesshōmaru remained silent, neither accepting nor denying her request. Rin, however, took that to mean that she was free to join him, and she plopped down beside the demon.

            Rin stretched her legs out in front of her and wiggled her toes in the mud of the creekbank. She let out a loud sigh as she tilted her head back and watched the dwindling rain slide along the dark green leaves overhead. She hummed a soft tune, but it quickly devolved into quiet singing.

            “I thought you wanted to meditate,” Sesshōmaru monotonously stated. A single, golden eye observed her from the edge of his vision. A faint blush rose to Rin’s cheeks, but she swiftly adjusted her posture so that it mimicked her lord’s. Once she was situated, she attempted to copy his breathing pattern and closed her eyes.

            The duo sat in silence for a while, one masterfully centering himself while the other was content just absorbing the sounds of her environment. Rin rarely was still since her boundless energy urged her to constantly explore her world. However, three days of endless travelling managed to sap enough life force out of her so that she was able to only sit and listen. She could hear the pleasant hum of dragonflies and bumblebees as they emerged after the rain. She could hear the splashing of fish as they swam in the creek. And, in the distance, she could hear the high-pitched calls of sika deer as they bounded through the forest. The more she relaxed and focused on her surroundings, however, the more tired she felt. Sleep was perched at the edge of her consciousness, waiting for her to succumb to its enticing embrace.

            “A warrior doesn’t fall asleep while meditating, no matter how tired he is,” the icy voice roused Rin from her half-asleep state. The child slowly blinked her brown eyes, and her brows knit together in confusion.

            “I’m not a warrior, Lord Sesshōmaru,” she said as she turned to face the daiyōkai.

            “No, you’re not,” he agreed with a bored tone. Several seconds ticked by before he continued, “But that doesn’t mean you can’t become one.”

            “What?” Rin cried. The birds roosting in the trees took flight at the sudden noise. “But, Lord Sesshōmaru, I know how to take care of myself. I can forage and I’m a fast runner and—”

            Sesshōmaru raised a hand to cut her off. “Your first lesson,” he said as he fully opened his golden eyes, “is to remain collected at all times.” With a huff, Rin resumed her original meditating position once more.

            After several deep breaths, she asked, “But why do you want me to become a warrior, milord? I don’t want to hurt anyone. Besides, I’ll always have Jaken, Ah-Un, or someone like Lady Isoko to protect me.” There was a playful twinkle in her chocolate eyes as she continued, “And, in the worst-case scenario, there’ll always be you, Lord Sess—”

            “I protect no one.” He sternly snarled, flecks of red clouding his golden eyes. Rin’s shoulders tensed, but quickly relaxed again when Sesshōmaru let out a deep sigh and his eyes returned to normal. An awkward silence fell over the forest like a thick blanket. “I won’t always be around to help you, Rin. You understand that there’ll come a day where we part ways, right?”

            A deep, ancient pain consumed her heart, and she bit her lip to contain a sob. She wasn’t a stranger to the thought that one day she’d have to say goodbye forever to Lord Sesshōmaru, but she’d fervently hoped that that day would only occur when she was on her deathbed many years from now. However, based on what the daiyōkai said, that day could be as early as tomorrow. She clenched her fists so tight that her knuckles turned white. _Pathetic mind, of course this wouldn’t last forever,_ Rin sorrowfully thought. Realizing she still hadn’t answered his question, she nodded.   

            “Good. Your next lesson is how to clear your mind and center yourself…”

***

           “ _My associate is beyond pleased to hear your acceptance of the proposal,_ ” Jaken read aloud from a scroll. “ _He offers to you any riches you desire. While not in Masahiko’s palace, it’s been made known to me that a beastly wolf demon has plagued some mountain villages. However, there are rumors that a hanyō and monk destroyed the fearsome creature. The lower demons speak highly of you and your bloodline, Lord Sesshōmaru. There’ll be little resistance to your glorious conquest. That is all that I, your humble servant Yau, have to report._ ”

“I don’t trust this rain demon,” Jaken grumbled as he began to roll up the scroll, “but, if we are to believe his word, then the hanyō could be none other than your worthless brother.” Though Sesshōmaru strode several yards in front of Ah-Un, it was easy for the imp to see his frown deepen at the mention of Inuyasha.

            The entourage had left the bamboo rainforests and rainy weather of the southern region several sunrises ago. Now, rays of sunlight drifted down through the sparse canopy of tall, sturdy trees. Though Rin’s face was already turning pink as she sat on Ah-Un’s back, she relished in the warmth of summer. Beads of sweat slowly drifted down her face in winding rivers, but she didn’t wipe them away and break her concentration. It’d taken her several hours of practice to even begin to grasp some of Sesshōmaru’s teachings, and she couldn’t afford to lose what little progress she’d made. Sure, she could sit still and listen to the world for a marginal amount of time, but to truly clear her mind? No, there was always a worldly distraction to preoccupy herself.

            _Surely it couldn’t hurt to open your eyes,_ Rin’s inner voice taunted her. _No one would care_.

            “Lord Sesshōmaru would,” she whispered in retaliation. Her remark was so quiet that even Jaken didn’t hear her amongst his political discussion. “If I prove that I’m good at this ‘becoming a warrior’ thing, then maybe he won’t send me away…maybe I won’t be a burden to him anymore.” Her heart clenched, and familiar doubts and fears swirled inside of her.

            “Send a letter to Yau,” Sesshōmaru’s icy voice sliced through Rin’s thoughts, but she still refused to open her eyes. “He will meet me at Tōtōsai’s forge in three sunrises.”

            “Three sunrises?” Jaken spluttered. “But how do you expect him to receive a letter so quickly, milord?”

            Rin could feel the daiyōkai’s golden eyes on her as he said, “You and Rin will hand-deliver it to Masahiko’s palace.”   

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I understand that the Inuyahsa movies aren't exactly canon, but Inuyasha the Movie 3: Swords of an Honorable Ruler really got my gears turning about why Sesshomaru never verbally admits that he protects Rin or Jaken. Even in the anime when Rin was captured by Naraku (episode 80), Sesshomaru plays it cool and doesn't give in to Naraku baiting him to admit that he cares for Rin. So here's my personal headcanon that you can agree or disagree with: I think that Sesshomaru never verbally admits that he cares for anyone because, in a backwards sort of way, it protects them from being targeted by others. If he pretends like he doesn't care for Rin, then she won't be attacked or captured as much as someone like Kagome (who's frequently used as bait to draw out Inuyahsa). That's why in this chapter he tells Rin that he protects no one--because he doesn't want anything bad to happen to her simply because she's associated with him.


	17. Palace of Stone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! I'm terribly sorry for going on an unexpected hiatus, but thankfully my wounded muse has momentarily returned to me. Thank you to everyone that's still holding out for this fanfic. I hope you guys enjoy this new chapter!

           The cawing of crows echoed across the courtyard. Hundreds of black birds sat perched on leafy branches as they awaited their turn to dine on the feast laid before them. Those not content with being patient, however, squawked and pecked at the decaying bodies littering the ground. The bones and flesh of servants and soldiers alike were exposed to the brutal clawing and consumption of the dark-feathered creatures.

            “Any word from the daiyōkai?” Huffed a man clad in blue armor as he strode through the courtyard. A shorter man walked behind him, struggling to keep up with the former’s long strides.

            “None, Lord Masahiko,” the shorter man responded. Several crows took to the skies as the duo passed through the battlefield of stone. The partially consumed, severed head of the former daimyō, Seiji, greeted them at the doors that led to the inner portion of the castle.

            Masahiko sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose with a gloved hand. “How long has it been since Yau last contacted him?”

            “A few days ago, milord,” the vassal responded, their thick boots clacking against the wood floors.

            Masahiko groaned and grumbled obscenities under his breath. “Demons are greedy creatures. Surely if Lord Sesshōmaru truly accepted our proposal he would’ve declared his terms by now.” The daimyō suddenly halted and looked back at the young man. The fear in the vassal’s brown eyes mirrored Masahiko’s own. “I’m worried he won’t keep his word.”

            “Surely a powerful demon such as he has some sense of honor.” Though the young man’s tone was confident, his body trembled at the thought of facing the wrath of a demon that destroyed an entire volcano.

            Masahiko sighed, “Yōkai have no sense of honor, Kato.” The daimyō gazed out of a nearby window that overlooked a secluded portion of the castle garden. A familiar blue-skinned demon was practicing his swordsmanship against an innocent tree. Splinters flew off in every direction as the rain demon landed a powerful blow. Masahiko’s brows furrowed, “Even Yau was willing to abandon us the moment I offered him freedom. They have no idea what it means to have honor or be loyal; they merely manipulate us mortals to achieve their own goals. If you want to strike a deal with a yōkai, you must offer them something they desire. And I’m afraid that Lord Sesshōmaru may have concluded that we have nothing useful to offer him.”

            Kato nodded and lowered his gaze. Though Yau was an invaluable ally, just seeing the yōkai caused waves of uneasiness and distrust to roll through the vassal. However, before Kato could respond to his lord, a soldier trotted down the hallway towards the pair.

            “Milord!” The soldier dressed in blue armor called out. “In the courtyard! Wards of Lord Sesshōmaru!” Disbelief flashed in Masahiko’s blue eyes as he dashed out to the courtyard with Kato and the soldier hot on his heels.

            Masahiko froze when he saw what awaited him. There, standing amongst the bodies, was a comically short imp with a strange staff and a young girl in a sky-blue kimono. A two-headed dragon stood behind them, snorting and nibbling on the bits of grass pushing up in between the stone tiles.

            Masahiko’s former disbelief quickly devolved into confusion, “You are…Lord Sesshōmaru’s wards?” His blue eyes skeptically flickered over each member of the party. While the dragon was preoccupied with eating, the girl seemed to have drained of all her color at the sight of the partially mutilated bodies. The imp, however, held the daimyō’s gaze and seemed to dare him to question the daiyōkai’s authority.

            “Yes,” the green yōkai’s high-pitched voice carried across the courtyard, “we are wards of the great Lord Sesshōmaru.” Kato exchanged a brief look of disbelief with the soldier standing next to him.

            “Then you are forever welcome in my palace,” Masahiko inclined his head to his new guests, and Kato and the soldier quickly followed suit. The daimyō gestured to the stony structure behind him, “Or, rather, I should say palaces. It was only thanks to your lord’s assistance that we were able to claim this new faction of territory. I am indebted to you and your lord. What would be the names of my esteemed guests?”

            “Chief Minister Jaken,” the imp gave a shallow bow.

            The young girl briefly lifted her gaze from the corpses to offer a shy smile, “Rin.”

            Masahiko raised his eyebrows in curiosity and strode over to the girl, casually stepping over the bodies. Rin tensed up as he drew near, and Jaken’s grip tightened around his strange staff. The daimyō knelt down in front of her and gently brushed a strand of black hair out of her face.

            “War is an upsetting image, even for a brave little girl like you, Rin,” his tone was soft as if he was soothing a startled horse. “We haven’t had time to bury the bodies after the siege, but rest assured they’ll receive a proper burial. For now, however…” Rin’s quizzical brown eyes studied the daimyō’s scarred face as she waited for him to continue. As if by magic, Masahiko suddenly held a white iris between his right thumb and forefinger. Rin’s eyes widened at the spectacle, and she cautiously took the flower from him when he outstretched it towards her.  

            “Thank you,” she murmured, her face glowing as she delicately touched the petals and tucked the flower behind her ear.

            Masahiko chuckled as he stood up, “All lovely little girls deserve pretty flowers.” He gently clasped her shoulder, “There’s a garden just past those hedges, Jaken and I will handle the negotiations.” Rin hesitated for a moment, but eventually nodded and carefully picked her way across the courtyard. Ah-Un followed behind her, ever protective of his youngest rider.

            “Shall we discuss your lord’s terms in the comfort of the castle?” Masahiko asked as the child and dragon disappeared from sight.

            “Actually,” the imp tapped his staff against the stone, “the glorious Lord Sesshōmaru sent us to deliver a message to Yau, not to discuss his terms with you.”

            Masahiko blinked for a long moment, letting his shock and dread dissipate before putting on a cool mask once more. “No matter, you’ll be able to speak to Yau this evening when we hold a feast to honor your visit. In the meantime, I’d like to know more about this lord of yours.” Jaken crossed his arms and squinted his eyes for a moment, but eventually nodded. In an instant, Masahiko turned on his heel and walked towards the towering structure with Kato and Jaken in his wake.

            Meanwhile, Rin and Ah-Un were admiring the expansive palace gardens. The gardens were composed of several fruit trees, shrubs, and flowers. The sound of koi fish splashing in a distant pond filled the silence. A huge smile cracked across Rin’s face as her eyes surveyed the area. After travelling for several days through bad weather, she relished the warmth of the sun on her face and being surrounded by a forager’s paradise. Her mouth instantly began salivating as her brown eyes locked onto a nashi tree, and her feet carried her across the garden in a heartbeat.

            The lower boughs of the tree were weighted down by several pieces of the golden fruit. The petals of the iris tickled her face as she leapt up and tugged at her prize. It took her only a few moments for her to collect an armful of nashi. A gleeful grin was plastered on her face as she bit into the sweet, crisp fruit. However, her grin quickly faded as she bumped into a solid wall of flesh. Cautiously, Rin lifted her gaze to see the blue face of Yau.

            Rin scurried back several feet away from the demon, distrust clouding her brown eyes. She clutched the nashi close to her body, and Ah-Un lifted his heads to see what had made his rider so distressed. The dragon flicked his ears as a warning to Yau.

            Yau lifted his hands as a sign of peace. “I didn’t mean to frighten you, I only wanted to see what you were doing.” Yau’s dark blue eyes stared at the bounty in Rin’s arms, “I may have also wanted to see if you’d be willing to share some of that…food with me.”

            Rin lifted a quizzical eyebrow at the strange demon. After a moment of hesitation, she slowly grabbed a nashi and extended it towards Yau. Yau plucked the golden fruit from her small hands with a smile of thanks. He groaned as his fangs sunk into it.

            “You have my eternal thanks,” he said as juice dribbled down his chin. “I can’t eat anything unless a human offers it to me.” Rin tilted her head in confusion, and Yau elaborated, “It’s a part of how the Kimura family kept me bound to them for so many years. A demon that’s on the brink of starvation is a demon that can’t rebel.”

            “I’m sorry they treated you so horribly,” Rin murmured. She grimaced at the thought of someone treating her lord as poorly as the Kimura clan had treated Yau. Rin’s shoulders relaxed as sympathy washed over her, and Ah-Un resumed munching on the nearby bushes as the tense atmosphere dissipated.

            Yau waved a dismissive hand as he tossed the core of the nashi over his shoulder, “You’re not to blame. Besides, Masahiko is the kindest Kimura that I’ve ever met in the past three hundred years. He’s shown me that humans don’t necessarily hate yōkai, they’re just afraid of them.” Yau grinned, his fangs catching the sunlight, “I certainly gave you a fright.”

            Rin, however, straightened her posture and stood tall. “I’m not afraid of yōkai,” she declared.  

            Yau merely chuckled at the child, “You’re very brave, little one.” Though as his gaze shifted across her body, he thoughtfully added, “Your stance isn’t half bad. Maybe you’ll turn out to be a proud warrior one day.”

            Rin’s eyes instantly lit up with hope and excitement. “Could you teach me to be a warrior? Lord Sesshōmaru has already taught me how to meditate. I promise I’ll be a good student!”

            Yau’s eyes crinkled with laughter, “You’re quite enthusiastic. Sure, I can show you the ropes, but only if you give me some more nashi.” Without hesitation, Rin dumped her cargo into the demon’s arms, and the lesson quickly began.

            “First,” Yau said in-between bites of nashi, “show me your fighting stance.” Rin placed her left foot in front of her and sank into a squat. Her hands grasped an imaginary sword in front of her. “Your right foot needs to be forward, you’ve sunk too low, and you’re too stiff,” Yau nudged each portion of her body as he critiqued. Not deterred by his comments, Rin adjusted her stance accordingly. Yau circled her like a vulture, waiting to peck at any new points of weakness. She took a deep breath as she felt her muscles strain from holding the new position for so long. Her kimono gave her barely enough range of movement to engage in the basics of swordsmanship.

            Rin let out a sigh through her nose as her calves began to burn. A bead of sweat trickled down her face. But she refused to relax her stance. After all, perhaps Lord Sesshōmaru wouldn’t send her away if she could prove that she’s a good warrior. Maybe if he saw how strong she was, he’d never mention leaving her again. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to center her mind. Yes, if she could follow Yau’s instructions, then she could become a fierce warrior.

            “Good.” Rin’s eyes flashed open as Yau’s comment broke her concentration. “Now advance forward. Bring your left foot forward and turn your right foot like this,” the yōkai demonstrated the movement a few times. Rin carefully studied Yau’s movements, then gracefully brought her left foot in front of her. “Wonderful, now practice it a few times and then try moving several paces forward.”

            The rest of the afternoon passed in a similar fashion. Rin practiced advancing and retreating for hours until her legs trembled with fatigue and she was forced to take a break lest she collapse. Once Yau was finally satisfied with her movements, he taught her the basics of pivoting and simple dodges. As the sun began to cast a soft orange glow on the garden, he remarked, “You’ve improved quite a lot since we began, but let’s see if you can do it with a blade in your hands.”

            Yau reached inside the folds of his kimono and procured a black fan. Rin’s brows furrowed in confusion, but gasped in surprise as Yau yanked the lower end of the fan off and revealed a hidden tantō. The blade was only a few inches long and flat. It shone like a fiery diamond in the evening sun. Rin hesitantly took the weapon from Yau’s outstretched hand. The white iris that had remained stubbornly fixed in Rin’s black locks throughout the training session drifted to the ground as a strong gust of wind blew through the gardens.

            Rin rubbed the handle of the weapon with her thumb. It was a well-crafted and beautiful tantō, but it took Rin’s breath away for the wrong reasons. Reality slowly sank in for the young child: she could—and she’d be expected to—kill someone with this blade. Images of the decomposing corpses in the courtyard drifted through her mind. Her hand trembled and she couldn’t breathe. Of course, she’d seen Lord Sesshōmaru and Lady Isoko brandish weapons before, but it was an entirely different experience for her to hold a blade and feel that unknown sense of power course through her.

            _You could kill Yau if you wanted to_ , her dark inner voice murmured. Despair surged through Rin and bile rose up in her throat at the thought. She was no better than the bandits that had slaughtered her family.

            “What’s wrong, little one?” Yau’s voice was brimming with concern as he crouched down and gently grasped Rin’s wrist. The blade fell to the ground with a dull thud. He carefully wiped the cascading tears from her eyes, each tear softly hissing as they evaporated at the rain demon’s touch. Rin buried her face in the crook of his shoulder as she sobbed. Though Yau was momentarily paralyzed by a human willingly seeking comfort from him, he quickly snapped out of it and soothingly carded a hand through her hair.

            “I’m sorry,” he whispered, “I didn’t realize that giving you a weapon would trigger a traumatic memory.” Rin clutched onto him tighter as he continued, “You know, we’re not all born warriors. You’re not the first—and definitely not the last—to be…scared of the power that a blade gives you. It’s not something that will happen overnight, Rin, but I promise that it gets easier. The main thing you need to remember is that we’re training you to use the blade for good. Just like how Lord Sesshōmaru and I don’t kill unnecessarily despite the fact that we’re ‘evil’ yōkai, you’re not automatically a bad person just because other humans abuse their power.”

            “How many times have you given this speech?” Rin croaked, her voice slightly muffled from his kimono.

            Yau smiled, “Like I said before, I’ve been with the Kimura clan for centuries. After training soldiers for so long, you start to learn how fragile the human psyche is. Fears and traumatic events really break the human spirit, so I had to learn quickly what the right words to say are.”

            Rin nodded and took a deep breath. She slowly centered herself and collected her thoughts. Though she still clung to Yau, the stream of tears ebbed away and her breathing returned to normal. The sound of approaching footsteps caused her to finally lift her head.

            Yau sighed as he recognized the familiar stride and detached himself from the young girl. He swiftly stood up and bowed low to the vassal from earlier. “What message does Masahiko send?”

            “Our lord requests that you and Rin join him for dinner,” Kato said. His tone was calm, but Rin could see the utter terror that coursed through his veins each time he looked at Yau.

            “Of course. Tell him that Rin and I will join him momentarily.” Kato shallowly bowed to the demon as he was dismissed and walked back towards the palace. As the vassal disappeared from sight, Yau bent down and dusted off the tantō. He sheathed the blade in its illusive scabbard and outstretched it towards Rin once more. She recoiled from the blade. “I know you’re scared,” Yau firmly stated, “but you’ll never get over your fear if you don’t face it. Carrying the blade with you is the first step in accepting the life of a warrior—if that’s what you truly want.”

            Rin frowned and stared at the blade. After a few moments, she eventually took the tantō from Yau. She swallowed thickly as she tucked it away in the inner folds of her kimono. She shuddered at its cold weight. Rin took a deep breath to steady herself. Once she was certain that she wasn’t about to have another mental breakdown, she firmly grasped Yau’s hand and the rain demon escorted her into the palace made of stone. Ah-Un lifted his heads and watched the duo exit the garden. He gave a low grunt as he returned to lazily munching on the shrubbery.

***

            “Like I was explaining to Masahiko earlier,” Jaken said as he sipped some sake, “the hanyō you mentioned in your letter is of…great importance to Lord Sesshōmaru.” The dinner guests were seated in a semi-circle with Masahiko at the head of the table. Kato and Jaken sat to the right of Masahiko while Yau and Rin sat to the left.

            Yau raised a quizzical eyebrow and lowered his chopsticks. “What use does a daiyōkai like Lord Sesshōmaru have with a hanyō?” A nearby servant offered the rain demon some more rice and dumplings which he gladly accepted.

            “That vile, disrespectful, unworthy half-breed is—”

            “Inuyasha is Lord Sesshōmaru’s half-brother,” Rin cut-off the imp. “And he’s none of those awful things,” she added. “Perhaps a little careless at times, but he has a good heart.”

            “Perhaps,” Jaken huffed and crossed his arms, “but that doesn’t change the fact that Lord Sesshōmaru despises him.”

            Rin rolled her eyes and muttered so that only Yau could hear her, “Lord Sesshōmaru will never admit he marginally cares about him.”

            “Ah, a sibling rivalry,” Yau chuckled. “I understand. I’ll be sure to keep a close eye on him and the monk that travels with him.”

            “That’s not all that our lord wants you to do,” Jaken said as he nibbled on a piece of seared fish. “There’s a volcano a day’s flight from here that is the forge of the legendary blacksmith Tōtōsai. Lord Sesshōmaru said that you needed to meet him there in three sunrises. Though, by my calculations—since it took Rin and I a day and a half to travel here—our lord is expecting you to be at Tōtōsai’s forge by tomorrow’s sunrise.”

            “Sunrise?” Yau spluttered. “It’ll take me all night to get there. I have to leave at once.” He hastily swallowed the last of his rice and downed his sake. “Take care,” he said as he politely nodded to each dinner guest. In an instant, he transformed into a tiny raindrop and zoomed out of an open window.

            The rest of the dinner passed with relative ease now that Rin and Jaken had delivered the message. They told Masahiko and Kato stories of their travels and defeating Naraku, and in turn they got to hear the various legends passed down by the Kimura family. They talked until long after the sun had set and stars twinkled in the ink black sky. Their chatter finally ceased when Rin yawned loudly.

            “Will my esteemed guests be spending the night?” Masahiko inquired. The servants began clearing away the dishes as the daimyō stood up.

            “Unfortunately, Lord Sesshōmaru gave us orders to head northward as soon as our business was through here.” Masahiko opened his mouth to protest, but Jaken added, “I don’t think you want to incur a daiyōkai’s wrath, Masahiko.”

            The daimyō reluctantly nodded and escorted the imp and child out to the gardens where Ah-Un awaited them. Rin caressed his snouts as he bent his heads down to greet her. He gave a happy snort, and she giggled as the warm burst of air ruffled her hair. Masahiko and Kato stood several yards away from the dragon yōkai, both intrigued by how the child didn’t have an ounce of fear towards the beast.

            “We must be off,” the imp’s words broke the pair out of their momentary trance. “Thank you for your hospitality, Lord Sesshōmaru will be informed of how well you treated us.”  

            “Yes! Thank you!” Rin twirled around and bowed shallowly.

            Masahiko smiled at the girl, “You and Jaken are forever welcome in any of my palaces. I hope that fate will let us meet again soon. May the kami guide you.”

            With their goodbyes said, Jaken and Rin mounted Ah-Un. After a final farewell, Rin cracked the reins and Ah-Un soared into the air. As they rose higher and higher, the dark palace of stone that slowly shrunk from view. Eventually, they could only see the distant lights of the mortal world below them.

            Once they reached cloud-level and Ah-Un leveled out, Rin let her fingers drift over the fan in her kimono. A cold shudder passed through her. Her fingers retracted like a dying spider curling up its limbs. Yau’s words floated through her mind, and it marginally helped to suppress the awful weight in her heart. She only hoped that what he’d told her was the truth.


	18. The Word of a Demon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm terribly sorry not updating in awhile. Things have been kind of hectic for the past few months. I hope you guys enjoy this new chapter and I appreciate any and all feedback!

            A warm breeze rustled the green grass of the meadow. Hundreds of colorful blossoms swayed under the invisible force. Rin took a deep breath, the sweet scent of the flowers surrounding her and calming her mind. Her black locks blew freely in the breeze as she sat in the middle of the expansive field.

            The travelling trio had passed over the border of the Northern region a few hours ago. The clouds passing overhead cast a dark shadow on the place where they had agreed to reconvene with Lord Sesshōmaru: a massive mountain that loomed to the right of Rin. If she squinted her brown eyes, she could just barely make out the form of Jaken and Ah-Un perched at the peak of the mountain.

            A smile cracked across her face. She could almost hear Jaken grumbling about her running off on her own and how he’s always stuck “babysitting the pesky mortal.” Of course, she’d informed him that she was going foraging, but she’d kept her true intentions a secret.

           While she did feel the faint pangs of hunger, Rin was more interested in practicing her swordsmanship in peace. She hadn’t told Jaken about Yau’s gift, but she intrinsically knew that the imp would create a harsh training program once he learned that she was serious about becoming a warrior. Rin wasn’t necessarily worried about Jaken pushing her beyond her physical limits, she was more concerned with the fact that he wouldn’t understand her apprehension to hold the cold tantō. He’d have no patience for her and her tears, he’d never be able to understand her moral dilemma like Yau. No, if Rin wanted to truly become a warrior, then there was only one possible way for her to succeed: hide the blade and train in secret while Lord Sesshōmaru continued to show her the non-offensive side of being a warrior. Once she’d gained substantial control over her emotions and could wield the tantō, she’d start asking for weapons training.

            Her stomach turned at the thought of having to keep a secret from her lord that long. _But you have to do this_ , she thought to herself, _it’s the only way_. Rin took a deep breath to settle her nausea before standing up. Her muscles were still sore from her training session with Yau, but she was determined to not waste anymore time. After all, though the sun was still high in the sky, she had no way to predict when Lord Sesshōmaru would return.

            Rin sighed as she sank into a basic advancing pose; her small hands grasping an invisible blade in front of her. She closed her eyes and imagined what Yau might say about her current posture. _Arms too stiff_ , the image of the blue-skinned demon critiqued. _You’re too low to the ground and your left foot should be turned_. Rin slowly adjusted her stance with each imaginary comment. Once she was satisfied with her posture, Rin settled into a regimen of advancing, pivoting, then retreating.

            Rin practiced the intricate dance until her face was red and her breathing was labored. Her bangs were plastered against her forehead and her calves screamed at her to take a break. Gulping in air, she quickly stretched her muscles to prevent cramping and practically fell in her haste to sit back down on the plush green grass. She wiped the sweat off her face with the sleeve of her checkered kosode as she gazed across the meadow. A ring of trampled down flowers surrounded her, a clear indicator of how she’d just passed the last hour. As she leaned back to enjoy the warm rays and the gentle breeze, a feeling of contentment washed over her.

            “Do you know how much this hurts, child?” A voice as quiet as a butterfly’s wings asked. Rin quickly leapt to her feet and turned to face the newcomer. A figure with light pink skin stood twenty yards away from her. Instead of hair, it had long vines that cascaded down its naked female form.

 _A demon,_ Rin thought, apprehension coursing through her veins. The creature was bent down, examining the crushed flowers. Rin clenched her fists, her body trembling as it struggled to decide if she should flee or fight.

            “Their screams…their screams haunt me, child,” the figure said as it slowly lifted its head and locked eyes with Rin. Or, rather, the holes in the demon’s skull where eyes should’ve been stared intently in Rin’s direction. Gnarled, rotting roots resided in the yōkai’s dark eye sockets. A lone centipede crawled from one cavern to another. In an instant, Rin’s body made its choice: flee.

            Rin instantly bolted and she sprinted across the meadow as fast as her legs would carry her. Her overexerted muscles were screaming at her, but adrenaline and fear were momentarily suppressing the worst of the pain. However, with each stride, Rin accidentally crushed more blossoms underfoot. A sorrowful cry drifted across the meadow, and tears prickled at the edge of Rin’s brown eyes.

            “I’m sorry! I didn’t realize I was hurting them,” Rin yelled over her shoulder. The yōkai made no attempts to pursue her, but an uneasy feeling told her that it’d be unwise to stop running. As the flowers of the meadow slowly thinned out to a grassy plain, Rin scanned the nearby mountaintop for her companions. A yellowish-green blob seemed to be staring straight at her from the peak. Rin waved her arms to flag down the dragon yōkai. “Ah-Un! Jaken! Hel—”

            Her cries were cut off by a large vine sprouting from the earth and wrapping around her mouth. It tugged her to the ground, and she fell hard onto her back. Rin clawed at the vine, but the more she struggled the tighter it constricted around her face. After a moment, Rin felt herself being dragged backwards by the vine. Stray rocks left cuts on her thrashing legs as the vine mercilessly pulled her towards the yōkai. She tried biting and tearing the vine, but it felt as tough as leather against her blunt teeth. Hot tears of defeat and frustration streamed down her face, her screams muffled by the green appendage.

            Suddenly, a cold pulse rippled through her. The tantō had come loose from its secured position in her kosode during the altercation, and it now rested on Rin’s chest. It weighed heavily against her heart, and Rin shuddered as the blade chilled her to her very core.

            “No…” Rin weakly whispered, her stomach turning at what the blade was suggesting.

            _It’s the only way_ , a voice murmured once more in Rin’s mind, _you have to do this_. Bile rose to the back of Rin’s throat, but self-preservation caused her arms to move of their own accord. Her small hands quickly reached into her kosode and grabbed the fan tantō. In a fluid motion, she yanked the blade out of its sheath and swung her arm upwards. The demon savagely howled as the tantō sliced through the vine. Rin hurriedly pulled the now loose green tendrils from her mouth and shakenly rose to her feet before emptying her stomach contents onto the meadow. A violent cough wracked her body, and her weak legs threatened to collapse any second.

            However, the yōkai refused to give her a moment to recover. While Rin was turned away, the demon closed the distance between them. A pink fist hit Rin square in the shoulders, and she crumpled like a dead leaf in autumn. Rin stuck her arms out to brace her fall, but quickly rolled when she hit the ground to avoid the yōkai’s next attack. A new wave of adrenaline began to leak into her veins, and Rin knew that fleeing was no longer an option. Her brown eyes quickly scanned the skies, but there was no sign of Ah-Un or Jaken coming to rescue her. No, though her hands shook and tears of agony streaked down her face at the thought of what she was about to do, Rin knew that fighting was her only option if she wanted any chance at survival. Her legs quivered as she sank down into a fighting stance. A few wandering clouds passed in front of the sun and cast a long shadow on the meadow.

            The yōkai chuckled darkly, “Oh, delicate flower, there’s no reason to resist. I’ll only make your death more painful if you fight back. Come now, child, lay down your weapon. This is merely a life for a life—surely you know the concept.” The pink-skinned demon didn’t give Rin a chance to respond as she rushed forward. Two vines from her hair began burrowing into the ground, and they snaked around Rin’s ankles as they resurfaced. They gripped tight enough to bruise, but the yōkai was approaching too quickly for Rin to have time to cut them.

            _She’s physically stronger than you, so you’ll have to be clever if you want to win,_ the voice of Yau drifted into her mind once more. This time, however, it seemed clearer than before, as if he was right there on the meadow with her. _She’s blinded by rage, use that to your advantage!_

Rin nodded, and she let her arms relax and dropped them down to her side. She loosened her grip on the tantō, and the advancing yōkai slowed down to a walk as she approached her relenting prey. The yōkai grinned down at Rin, revealing a set of teeth that was comprised of giant thorns.

            “I knew you’d make the right choice, child,” she softly cooed. She reached out a light pink hand and caressed Rin’s cheek. However, her jaw dropped in a silent scream as Rin plunged the tantō into the right side of her abdomen. With all of her strength, Rin arced the blade upwards and sliced across the demon’s body. Shock and agony froze the yōkai in place. The yōkai’s hand slowly slipped from Rin’s face to the deep cut as Rin removed the tantō. A yellow, sap-like liquid oozed from the curved wound.

            Rin’s brown eyes widened in terror. With the adrenaline ebbing away, the weight of her actions came crashing down on her young shoulders. She took a step back, her breathing becoming erratic and panicked. Instead of the face of a yōkai, the face of her mortally wounded mother stared back at Rin. Dirt and blood covered her face, and her dull brown eyes begged Rin to run as far away as possible. It was the same face that Rin had seen several years ago shortly before a bandit had beheaded her.

            Something within Rin snapped, and the tantō slowly slipped out of her hand. She took several more steps backwards, eyes never leaving the vision of her dying mother. Though her stomach was empty, bile burned her throat. Terror settled into every fiber of Rin’s being. Ice crept through her veins, and she barely noticed when she stumbled on a rock and fell.

            “Lord…Sesshōmaru…help,” she whispered, her voice hoarse. Her small hands gripped the grass beneath her. “Lord Sesshōmaru,” she said slightly louder. Blood dripped down her mother’s face and created a red puddle in the meadow. The scent of iron and death was unbearably strong. Tears welled in Rin’s eyes as she cried out, “Lord Sessh—”

            Her cries were cut off by green vines wrapping themselves around her neck. They constricted her throat, and for a brief moment the image of her mother changed to that of the pink-skinned yōkai. Though she could barely support her own weight, the yōkai’s lips were drawn back in a furious snarl.

            “I won’t die to some…mere mortal,” she hissed, the vines tightening around Rin’s neck. Rin frantically scratched at the tendrils, but to no avail. Black dots began to swarm her vision, and Rin could only hope that the daiyōkai had heard her pleas. As Rin started to lose consciousness, a sickening feeling of dread washed over her.

***

            Lava bubbled near Sesshōmaru’s right foot. Without his cuirass, his white kimono blew gently in the hot breeze. His golden eyes flickered across the volcanic wasteland, bored and disinterested. Though thick, black clouds blanketed the sky, Sesshōmaru intuitively knew it was midday. He let out an irritated sigh; there was no sign of Yau.

            “Quit your moping!” Tōtōsai’s gravely voice called from within the demon skeleton that comprised his forge. The sound of a hammer striking metal stopped for a brief moment as he continued, “He said he’ll be here; you’ve got to start trusting his word, Sesshōmaru. An excessive amount of doubt will poison this new political alliance.”

            “You should know better than to blindly trust the word of a yōkai, old man,” Sesshōmaru huffed. His golden eyes narrowed as they focused on a single raindrop falling from the blackened skies.

            A puff of fire illuminated the forge, Sesshōmaru’s cuirass glowing orange under the constant flames. “I don’t trust blindly, Sesshōmaru. I only trust those that I’ve known for years and those that I respect, and Yau shows the promise of being a reliable ally. He’s already visited my forge three times in the past two weeks since you declared him your eyes and ears of the East. He’s friendly and he knows how to negotiate with humans and demons alike. To be frank, I never expected you to form an alliance so quickly—or at all, for that matter—but it’d be unwise to lose this relationship with the rain demon.”

            Sesshōmaru didn’t respond. Instead, he wordlessly drew Bakusaiga from its scabbard. The blade crackled with green energy, excited to finally be put to use again.  

            As the raindrop steadily drew closer to the ground, it morphed into the form of Yau. The rain demon gracefully landed amongst the lava pools several yards away from the forge. The moment his feet touched the obsidian, he bowed lowly to the daiyōkai.

            “Forgive me, Lord Sesshōmaru,” he began, the heat causing his skin to shimmer like a sapphire, “I was unable to arrive when you’d requested becau—”

            Yau barely dodged the ball of green energy that came barreling towards him. He sidestepped to the left, and the attack collided with a mountain in the distance. Yau swallowed thickly. He slowly dropped a hand down to the hilt of his sword.

            “Spare the petty excuses, you’ve already wasted enough of my time,” Sesshōmaru coolly stated. The daiyōkai sheathed his sword, and Yau let out a small sigh of relief as the tense atmosphere dissipated.  

            “As you wish, Lord Sesshōmaru.” Yau took a deep breath and dropped his hand from his sword. “Your wards only told me that you wished for me to meet you here at Tōtōsai’s forge; what business do you wish to discuss?”

            “My terms for the agreement with Masahiko. I’m sure you’ve noticed the human that travels with me.”

            Yau nodded, “Yes, I had the pleasure of teaching Rin some of the basics of swordsmanship at Masahiko’s newest castle. I even gifted her a tantō.” As flecks of red bled into Sesshōmaru’s eyes, Yau quickly added, “I assure you the weapon isn’t cursed or tampered with, it’s a perfectly normal, man-made tantō.”  

            Red slowly faded back to a smooth gold, “And how did she handle your training?”

            Several seconds ticked by, and Yau fidgeted with the sleeve of his dark blue kimono. “Rin experienced some…issues. There’s some sort of mental blockage when she holds a blade due to past emotional trauma. Even if you want her to become a warrior…Lord Sesshōmaru it’ll take her years to overcome it and move beyond the basics of swordsmanship. I don’t know what you have planned, but she’ll never be a competent warrior until she’s an adult.”

            It was Sesshōmaru’s turn to sit in silence. He tilted his head up to gaze at the dark sky as he pondered Yau’s words. “I see,” he said. The heartbeat of Tōtōsai’s hammer striking his cuirass filled the void of sound. “Fortunately, that leads into my terms for Masahiko. I’ll examine the situation myself, but, if what you say about Rin is true, then I can’t allow her to travel with me any longer.”

            Lord Sesshōmaru’s golden eyes locked with Yau’s as he continued, “Here are my terms for your beloved associate: first, there’s a town in Masahiko’s territory that’s the home of a miko named Kaede. Rin will reside there while I travel and conquer, and Masahiko will protect it till the end of his pathetic mortal life so long as she lives there. Second, Rin is to live with Masahiko during the winter months. She’ll receive an education like any other child of a daimyō. She’ll learn about the arts, strategy, history, and court life. Third, Masahiko won’t claim any territory outside the Eastern region. I won’t have some ant attempting to arrange a coup to overthrow my future empire. Those are my terms.”

            Yau nodded, but his pale blue lips were pressed tight in confusion. “If I may inquire, Lord Sesshōmaru, why don’t you ask for anything physical for yourself or the imp?”

            “As if I’d have any use for anything that Masahiko could offer me,” Sesshōmaru scoffed. “You’re a fool if you think I’m the type of yōkai to ask for wealth or tribute.”

            “Of course not, milord,” Yau quickly interjected. “It’s just…” he trailed off for a moment and let out a deep sigh, “Masahiko believes that yōkai are greedy and flighty. I think you’ll shock him with your humble requests.” A small smile cracked across his face, but it was quickly twisted into terror as he sank to his knees. Both of his hands clutched at his right eye. “Rin!” He howled.

            Sesshōmaru instantly rushed towards the rain demon. “What’s happened to Rin?” His tone was calm and firm. Tōtōsai’s hammer paused as if it could sense the tense atmosphere.

            “Sh-she’s being attacked by a demon! Out in a meadow just past the Northern border.” Yau’s fingernails dug into his cheek and forehead, and beads of blood trickled down his face. “She’s not holding up well…I’ll try to communicate with her, but you need to hurry Lord Sesshōmaru!”

            Faintly, Sesshōmaru heard Rin cry out, “Lord Sesshōmaru! Lord Sessh—”

            His lips drew back in a snarl, but before he could turn into a ball of light, Tōtōsai emerged from his forge. He hobbled over to the yōkai and shoved Sesshōmaru’s repaired cuirass into his hands. Tōtōsai clasped the daiyōkai’s arm and said, “Make sure you do what’s right for her, Sesshōmaru.”

            “I’ll be the judge of that,” Sesshōmaru yanked his arm out of the elder’s grasp and quickly pulled on his armor. Once the chest piece was secured, he transformed into a speck of light and zoomed upwards past the dark clouds.

            While in this form, Sesshōmaru could travel great distances in a short amount of time. However, even he knew that there were certain limits to it. Though Rin wasn’t too terribly far away, it would still take him ten minutes to reach her. And, as Sesshōmaru knew well, a lot could happen in the span of ten minutes.

            Eventually, he passed over the Northern border and was near the meadow he assumed Rin was in. Though Yau hadn’t given the name of a specific meadow or field, Sesshōmaru deduced that it was most likely the one closest to the proposed meeting location. Sure enough, he spotted the blip of an orange kosode amongst the green grass. The daiyōkai quickly descended and transformed into his humanoid form. His red-flecked eyes swiftly took in the scene around him.

            Rin stood a few yards in front of him, purple bruises blossoming on her neck. She had a cut above her left eye and her hair was caked with crimson blood and dirt. Several cuts and bruises decorated her legs: a collage that told Sesshōmaru about the details of the recent violence. Her arms were raised above her head, and her pale, shaking hands clutched a black tantō. The blade was pointed downwards at the nature yōkai beneath her. The yōkai was in a similar physical state as Rin. Currently, the pink-skinned demon was curled into a fetal position. A puddle of yellow, gelatinous fluid surrounded her. With each breath, more fluid poured out of the wound in her abdomen.

            Rin raised her head to look at Lord Sesshōmaru. Her tearful, brown eyes screamed a silent plea. Her chapped lips parted, and through a strangled sob she quietly begged, “Please. I can’t.” The tantō slipped from her fingers and hit the ground with a dull sound.

            Sesshōmaru didn’t say anything. Instead, he drew Bakusaiga, and Rin hid her face in her hands in preparation for what was to come next. In the blink of an eye, Sesshōmaru pierced the yōkai’s heart with the blade. The yōkai only sighed softly as the color drained from her body and she passed into the afterlife.

            The inu yōkai silently sheathed Bakusaiga and turned to Rin. She was still covering her face with both of her hands. A quiet sniffle broke the new silence.

            Wordlessly, Sesshōmaru approached her and pocketed the tantō. Then, he crouched down and hooked an arm around her knees. Her fragile body easily complied, and he hoisted her into his arms with ease. She didn’t remove her hands from her face as she buried it into his kimono. Sesshōmaru leapt into the air gracefully and headed towards the peak of the mountain.

            Jaken was about to get an earful.

***

_Lady Isoko,_

_The leaves have already turned orange here in the North. I’ve come to miss Yoru village dearly. I miss the constant waves crashing against the cliffs and all of the friendly faces that I left behind. Travelling with Lord Sesshōmaru has recently become…difficult. He’s declared that the only way I can continue to follow him is if I become a warrior, but I don’t know if that’s possible. I don’t even know if I want to be a warrior…I enjoyed helping you pick herds, Lady Isoko. I enjoyed learning about the ways to heal the sick. But I don’t enjoy holding a blade. A demon named Yau offered some kind words that helped a little bit, so I was hoping you could offer some sage advice. I don’t want to leave him, he’s my family. _

_Sincerely,_

_Rin_

***

_Rin,_

_The summer never seems to end in the South. I hope you’ve remained healthy on your travels. I miss you too, Rin. Your smile always seemed to outshine the sun. If you truly enjoyed the things that I taught you, then perhaps you should consider becoming a miko. Of course, a miko’s duties aren’t limited to herbs and healing, but it’s worth considering. It’d also be worthwhile to discuss with Lord Sesshōmaru if you can only become a warrior to remain in his company. I know he means a lot to you, but you have to be aware that there’s the chance you won’t be able to pull it off. He may dismiss you from travelling with him, and—though as heartbroken as you’d be—it may ultimately be the only way for you to live a fulfilling life. Don’t devote yourself to something that you hate solely for a single person, Rin. I know this isn’t the advice you probably wanted to hear, but please think this over very carefully. What hurts the most may be the best option. I hope you visit Yoru village soon. May the kami continue to rain down their blessings upon you. _

_Sincerely,_

_Lady Isoko_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I just wanted to discuss a few things real quick and hopefully address a few questions you may be asking after this chapter. Or, if you currently don't have any questions, then I hope I can flesh out the world a little bit for you 
> 
> 1) **How did Rin go from losing consciousness to standing over the demon with the tanto?** How I picture this happening is that Rin manages to kick the demon in the kneecaps after she drags her close enough. The demon drops to the ground and lets go of Rin, but Rin's too far gone and she briefly loses conciousness. When she comes to, the demon is still on the ground. She stands up, grabs the tanto again, and realizes that she has to end this dying yokai's life. She realizes that she isn't emotionally or mentally capable enough to handle that, and that's when our boy Sesshomaru rolls up.
> 
> 2) **So what exactly are Yau's powers?** Since Yau's a rain demon, he can do the basic stuff like conjuring up storm clouds and making it rain. However, his powers go a step beyond that since he's able to see anything that's going on beneath a cloud. This is part of the reason why Sesshomaru declared him his "eyes and ears of the East"; he's sorta got this semi-omnipotence going on. Of course, there's limits to it (such as he can't view more than a 50 mile radius at a time), but it's a handy power. Additionally, Yau is able to telepathically communicate with anyone underneath a substantial amount of cloud coverage. The limit for this one is that it drains a lot of his energy and he can only do it for short periods of time and usually only once per day. 
> 
> 3) **How fast can Yau and Sesshomaru travel?** Since Yau transforms into a raindrop when he fast-travels, he can only travel the speed of a swift wind (approx. 30mph). Sesshomaru, on the other hand, turns into a ball of light, so I imagine him going faster than the speed of sound (approx. 700+ mph). That's why it took Yau like 10 hours to get to Totosai's forge while it only took 10 minutes for Sesshomaru to get to Rin.
> 
> 4) **Wait, does Lady Isoko not like Rin travelling with Sesshomaru?** So basically Lady Isoko sorta has the same opinion as Lady Kaede for this. While Lady Isoko likes Sesshomaru and isn't discouraging Rin simply because he's a demon, she recognizes that it isn't healthy for Rin to be isolated from human society for long stretches of time. She saw how happy Rin was when she led a normal life in Yoru village (after all of the Haia craziness), and she can't help but wonder if Rin is truly happy following Sesshomaru or if she's only doing it because he was the first person to show her kindness in awhile and she feels obligated to follow him. 
> 
> I hope that answered some of your questions or gave you some food for thought. If you have any other questions, feel free to leave a comment below! Thank you to everyone that reads this fanfic!


End file.
